Independent · since 2009

A bookshop with good corners and better margins.

Tucked down a cobbled court off the Shambles, Margins is a small York bookshop with strong opinions, a poetry wall, a resident cat, and shelves we've actually read.

Open Tue–Sun · 14 Lund's Court, York YO1 7LD

The interior of Margins Bookshop, with tall wooden shelves, a reading chair and warm lamplight.
The back room, where the poetry lives.

Our story

Fifteen years of pressing books into people's hands

Margins began in 2009 when Edith Hartley took over a draughty former glovemaker's on Lund's Court and filled it, floor to ceiling, with the books she wished someone had recommended to her sooner. We've grown a little since — there's a counter now, and a card machine that mostly works — but the idea hasn't changed.

We're not trying to be everything. We stock what we love: literary fiction, nature writing, poetry, a fierce children's corner, and a wall of second-hand finds priced to actually leave the shop. If we haven't read it, we'll tell you. If we have, you may struggle to escape without it.

  • 8,000+titles in store
  • 40events a year
  • 1shop cat (Comma)

On the shelves

Browse the catalogue

A taste of what's in store this week. Search by title or author, or filter by section.

    Hand-sold

    Staff picks

    The little handwritten cards you'll find tucked under our favourites.

    What's on

    Events calendar

    Book clubs, author nights and the odd glass of wine. Add any of them straight to your calendar.

      Find us

      Visit the shop

      We're down Lund's Court, the little cobbled snicket that runs off the Shambles. Look for the green door and the cat in the window.

      Opening hours

      Checking…

      Reserve a book

      Want something held behind the counter? Drop us a line and we'll set it aside for 48 hours.