Abbey's Bookshop deserves to be regarded as a Sydney institution of special shops, not just bookshops. I have been buying far too many books at Abbey's for my limited bookshelves long before its present location. The first location I knew led me to long term speculation about the origin of the name Abbey's (see final photo), but I subsequently learned it was the family name of the owners. Though the Galaxy (department) bookshop had to relocate from the present site of Red Eye Records to the present building of Abbey's Bookshop, and even though Abbey's has not been immune to the forces at play against physical shops and bookshops in particular (which means a game, puzzle, or whatnot shelf here and there), for non-fiction books in stock Abbey's curated selection is still superb. On more subjects than I can list here, and in divisions of subjects like history (which is first by country or region and era) Abbey's maintains stock of important and interesting titles, and new titles, from both large, small and specialised publishers. If I want to introduce myself to a new non-fiction field, or improve my knowledge in a given field (including biographies), for a book purchase I would go to Abbey's first. What they do not have in stock, and rarely there isn't an appropriate choice in stock, they can reliably find and obtain. I must specially note current world current and political affairs as an Abbey's highlight. From as far apart as film noir and silents in film history through US Civil War history to (up to the date) planetary Astronomy - and so many fields in between - the vast majority of my books have Abbey's labels; and about all that I return to time and again have the same labels. Overwhelmingly I found them in stock on the shelves on a visit there. For instance, on Wednesday night I saw a beautiful sunset in Sydney with incredible cloud patterns. So what book did I see on an Abbey's shelf browsing for nothing in particular on Thursday: the subject of the first photo. The Updated edition - of course! Fiction books also have that special curated maintained stock at Abbey's, though in consideration of sheer quantity of titles and stock there are considerably larger physical shop retailers. However, when all factors are combined, Abbey's is second to none at least for crime and "classics", and the skill, taste and knowledge of the selection of titles maintained in stock tells again. For instance, if you love Wilkie Collins' "The Woman in White" and "The Moonstone", go first to Abbey's to find on the shelf the widest range of his other titles like "No Name". Also, a range of authors to be found in no other one shop. Readers of "classics" will also appreciate that many titles have editions from different publishers. There are some obvious benefits of that. Perhaps a less obvious benefit is the choice between the nature of footnotes or endnotes. Reading the title for the first time, the better choice might be brief notes that do not interrupt the flow of the story and contain no spoilers. Returning to a title after some years, the better choice might be much more detailed notes that provide analysis of style, context and history information, and even spoilers when looking at construction of the story. The Galaxy science fiction department, sharing the first floor with the Language Bookshop, is obviously not as it was when occupying what is now Red Eye Records, but still nice to have those specialised departments handy. Not my haunts though. By the way, the staff are knowledgeable book lovers and helpful, and will recommend books not in stock - if that is the best for what you are seeking. They probably have some great brush-with-fame stories from the luminaries I have seen buying books there - even if I didn't vote for them (all). Perhaps I would trade off a little modern age efficiency for old age chattiness, but others may disagree - especially if shopping at weekday lunchtime when the shop can be very busy. I have long put off this review because I was not sure I could do the shop justice. I tried.

This is my favourite bookstore in Sydney. You will find the usual fare that you find in the shopping mall bookshops, but here you find so much more...the mind runs away in thoughts and contemplation with the alternatives they have selected and put next to the book you came to find. It's a book shop for browsing, and being offered ideas. It's a place to find titles you could only get elsewhere by advanced order or via online. I find it sometimes hard to navigate to find the section I am looking for, and the space available does make it slower to get around, but this invariably leads me to asking one of the many staff (who all seem to love being here) where to look ...and who (besides knowing the shelf of the section where I need to go), often provide recommendations for alternatives .. or start discussing the merits of the different options with other staff. I don't feel pressured into buying. I don't feel the only reason to visit is a commercial one. With or without a book in hand when exiting, I am happy to have visited.

I ordered a few books from Abbey's for a friend's baby's 1st birthday in mid-August. One of the books was in stock and arrived within 24 hours of purchasing. However, the other two were out of stock, and I received an email letting me know they wouldn't be shipped until the end of the month. Unfortunately, due to what I'm assuming were COVID-related delays, the books still weren't available by the first week of September. When I contacted the support team, they were absolutely wonderful to deal with. They apologised and offered to refund my money immediately. I'm a huge book lover, though, so I asked if it was possible to just get store credit. They sent through a voucher for me in a couple hours, I used it to order another (in stock) book, and it was delivered a couple days later. Really prompt and professional service, especially during such a trying time for small businesses. Highly recommend!

I've been purchasing language books from Abbey's for several years and am a longstanding patron for the simple fact that they have so many excellent language resources already stocked on the shelves. So long as an item is still in print, they will also endeavour to contact suppliers and order it in for you. I've bought numerous books for both personal interest and set university texts. The staff are amazing - extremely competent, helpful, friendly and patient. They will even spend time with you on the phone if you live out of area, so as to help with your order or enquiry. My thanks go to Georgia and Chris in particular, who are both super-efficient and knowledgeable in all matters related to buying and ordering books. A huge range of languages are stocked by Abbey's which is fantastic.

I had been searching high and low for two different collections of children’s books that are only partially available here in Canada. The rest of the collection is only available is Australia. After a long web search I finally found Abbey’s Bookshop and was delighted to find out they ship to Canada! The ordering process was easy and the customer service was supberb! I had to order in two shipments because one of the books was on hold, but the wait time was not very long at all. I was under the impression that shipping was going to take some time, but in fact it was very fast, less then two weeks! I can’t say enough great things about my first international book buying experience!

Top class Book shop I was trying to find Chinese Mandarin book for beginners. I called many shops from Google search . Most of the them said no books available, however, one merchant said try Abbey’s Book Store in York Street at Sydney. I visited this book store and surprised it was a very huge one with collections of large numbers of books. It has books for non English languages too. The staff here are very courteous and helpful. They asked my requirements and located so many Mandarin books for beginners. I chose one suitable for my needs. Adorable book store with classic and elegant touches inside. Very close to Town Hall Station Sydney and close by Queen Victoria Building

Since January 2019 I have asked Craig and Alison advice on what authors to try. They tipped me Joe Abercrombie the first time, and nearly two years later I have read everything he has published. So last week i asked Craig for something similar, he tipped me Anthony Ryan. This tip, if possible, was as good as the last. These people are experts (as well as being friendly, lovely people). They know their stuff and their customers. I feel bad for other book stores, but I don't want or need to buy book from anywhere else. Abbeys and Galaxy books are fantastic.

I go to the Galaxy Bookstore which is up the stairs inside. I've been going to their store from when they were originally in the building behind them on Clarence Street and also to their previous location a few doors down where Red Eye Records are now. They're still the best SciFi and fantasy book store in Sydney and unlike a lot of other stores will import a book if you need it and they can get it. The staff there are fantastic and I've known many of them for years. I'll be preordering the next Jack Campbell book like always through them next year.

I ordered AViVA's new novel, self/less, and it was shipped only 3 hours after my payment processed and arrived two weeks later from Australia, despite the shipping slowdown currently going on and the fact I live on the other side of the US from where the package originally touched down in North America. I was hugely impressed by the speed of shipping, and every interaction I've had with staff through Facebook has also been pleasant. I even found a surprise autographed sheet tucked inside the book as well.

Fantastic service! I ordered 2 books online the other week, and the communication from Abbey's was phenomenal! They contacted me within 24 hours of placing my order to advise a change in more order due to product availability. I was refunded for the item which could not be delivered immediately, which was a very welcome surprise! My book arrived promptly and in perfect condition. Thank you so very much, I cannot wait to place my next order with you, and hopefully to visit in person some day soon too!

I'm an English trainer to bilingual students from all over the world. Last Saturday's private class with one Colombian student ended with a shopping trip to Abbey's. Other bookstores let us down but after comparing a few options under the watchful eye of the cashier in the Languages department, we bought the best bilingual (bidirectional, the cashier corrected me!) dictionary available in Sydney! Thank you so much.

Fantastic service from Georgia today. I called to enquire about Italian language books at A1 beginner level. Georgia took her time to find the right items and answer all my queries. I did not feel rushed at all. This type of tailored service is rare these days. Please get behind this Australian owned business that has been operating since the 1960s. Thanks Georgia for your exemplary and friendly service today.

I used to buy books for quite a while at Abbey's bookshop. I made the mistake to ask politely if my students - not me- could get a free postage, the answer was negative -it is all right- but could have been formulated politely. I also asked some information about a book which is in stock but was told to go to the editor website to get the answer to my question. Disappointing.

I have been using this book store whenever I get to buy one Each time the best service and the best range of books (they have everything you need & book curation is good too), and all staff are very friendly & welcoming & very helpful I wouldn't go to other online book shops over the Abbey's, as here you can get the real book shop service & vibe

Friendly and knowledgeable staff, a very browsable collection of books in stock, and, of course, you can order much, much more. Abbey's has treated me exceedingly well over many years, and is my go-to retailer for books in print. The selection of languages represented in their dedicated Language Book Centre is truly impressive, and always fun for a browse.

Wonderful for non-fiction books, related to linguistics. Especially helpful if you need a few books to learn a language which is not common or within the top 6 in the world. They will cater to your needs, or have it ordered if required and not currently in stock. Good customer service. Highly recommended for people who love learning languages.

First time at Abbey's, had known of the store for years. Fantastic range of books, great idea of checking your bags at holding area near front door, leaves your hands free (which in my case was very dangerous.). Prices were excellent on the books I purchased, considering I wasn't going to buy anything when I went in. Staff were great.

Abbey’s is one of the best bookstores in Sydney. Their range is incredible. They’re particularly strong in history, literature, and foreign languages. Their staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. If they don’t stock a title, they’ll order it for you. They’re also willing to track down esoteric titles. I love this store.

Wonderful and unique bookstore. Definitely worth checking out. Very well organised and I liked the vibe of the place. I spent some time in the humor section, history section, politics section and foreign languages area upstairs. They had a fantastic range of things. I will definitely go back soon to buy some things soon.

If you love science fiction and fantasy literature this is the place to go. They have a fantastic range of books to suite all tastes. Absolutely love walking around looking at the vast selection available. The staff are always very friendly and helpful. A must visit for any fans of the above mentioned genres.

On of my favourite bookshops anywhere in the world, mainly because of their dedication to world languages and culture. It is no exaggeration to say that in this Abbey's provides a great service to human civilisation... Their online service is impeccable and I have never found any need to shop anywhere else.

Lovely two-story book store in the heart of Sydney. They have a large selection of books, including: language learning textbooks, foreign language books (e.g. French crime fiction in french), fiction, non-fiction. The staff are also lovely and helpful, highly recommend this place to everyone.

So happy with my experience with my online purchase! I was terribly annoying with all my questions and my goal to get all matching covers for a set of books and the staff were so helpful! Tracked down the set for me and ordered the one they didn't have. Truly cant recommend more!

Very poor customer service, blames customers when the store stuffs up an orders. Looks like a decent store let down by rude staff as others have mentioned. Brendan specifically needs to get some training and take responsibility when an order is stuffed up.

ACIC is a very professional organization. When I apply for a student visa, they will patiently answer any questions I have in the first time. With Phoebe's help, my visa application process went without any problems, I'm really lucky and grateful.

Abbey bookstore is such a great bookstore. It is located next to QVB. There are so many different types of books, CDs... in different languages. Very cozy bookstore and filled with books. The staff was very friendly and helpful as well.

The best bookshop in Sydney by far,and as both a poet/writer and artist,this is my oasis and the only place i buy my books from.Also has the best history and ancient language section in all of Sydney...being coming here for 20 years.

Great bookstore with a wide range of subjects to choose from. The staff were super helpful and I was able to find the perfect gift for a friend who is normally very difficult to buy for. I also like the location, just behind QVB.

Incredibly helpful with posting kids books to overseas family. I cannot speak higher of the store and how willing they were to help and see the process through. Thank you so very much and a big thanks from my lil nephew also ☺️

Generally a bit better than Dymocks or Kinokuniya in client service and books variety in stock. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable, genuinely trying to help. They stock titles that are not available in other book shops.

Got help finding an obscure book, gift wrap is 2 bucks and I always find something unexpected extra there. They have a dedicated fantasy/sci fi and languages floor. They also seem to take Classics pretty seriously too.

A great place where you can find lots of books in many different languages! A special thanks for the welcome to the team and for the time spent on replying my questions. The team is dedicated and ready to help.

I like Abbey's, it's not as busy as Dymocks; well, it doesn't have that fantastic position next to Myers, does it; but it's well-stocked and more personal and of course plonked right in the centre of Sydney.

I was just passing by when I saw this bookshop got stuck inside for 2 hours...found a last copy of a hardback Sherlock Holmes collection...grabbed it then went to the cashier. Done! 5 stars!!!

Love supporting book stores! Plus they really have the best service! Guys, if you want to buy books, try this one or your local books store to support them. Stop buying E books or from Amazon!

This book store is amazing, they have an incredible variety of literature and educational books as well. My favourite bookstore in Sydney for sure. Gotta love that place.

So many books, a great range of international story books and some clever bits and pieces. Would recommend keeping a couple of hours to browse if you are interested

After an initially disappointing experience Abbey’s redeemed themselves brilliantly. Post sale customer service and follow up were excellent. Will return. Thanks.

Amazing bookshop for the sci-fi buff, language enthusiast or general bookworm. A Sydney institution that's well worth a browse due to their extensive collection.

As a customer from Canada, I appreciate that Abbey's Bookshop is able to ship internationally. The website is easy to navigate and the book selection was great.

Always a pleasant shopping/browsing experience at Abbey's. Prices are fair, staff are helpful, and you absolutely need to go just to see the classics section

Charming little store that really impressed me with its range! That being said I do wish they had a few books on customer service that the staff could read

Best book store in the city. Friendly staff who are willing to chat and do what they can to help you find even the most difficult books to order.

Excellent place to buy any kind of books. I you are an international student finding ESL books, probably the second floor is the place for you

Nice place to buy books, the place is clean and neat. Staffs are friendly, you can ask them about the books that you are looking for...

Not a bad bookshop. Didn't find exactly what I was looking for and the layout was tricky to navigate. Lots of books however!

Great bookstore with a great variation! I found some good sci-fi books that kept me busy during the train trip to Perth.

This is one of Sydney's best bookshops. Staff couldn't be more friendlier and helpful. Lots of warm fuzzies here.

A great variety of books conveniently located in the heart of the city, also houses Galaxy books for sci fi fans

Helpful, knowledgeable staff and a diverse array of books. This is a gem of a space, an Aladdin’s Cave.

Great collection of foreign language books in the heart of Sydney ,well set out and very helpful staff

I could get lost in this place and they would have difficultly finding me. Love a great book shop

A great selection of books, friendly staff and close proximity to dining options. Win win!

Huge selection of fantasy and new releases. Customer service is always excellent.

Nice shop. Good fringe of books over two levels. Best science fiction selection.

Excellent collection of books not only in English but in other languages, too.

Visiting this iconic bookshop is like a pilgrimage. Nirvana for bibliophiles.

Great selection, lovely staff, would recommend if you are looking for books.

Good to go place ... Amazing customer service and wonderful choices of books

I liked this quirky bookstore and for introverts its a dream come true ❤❤❤

A good collection of books. Very densely packed it has 2 levels of stuff.

Galaxy is the best SciFi bookshop in Sydney, located upstairs in Abbey's.

Great selection of books of every genre. The staff are nice and helpful.

The best bookshop in town. I've been buying books from there for years.

Love the vibe at Abbey's and the sci-fi/fantasy section is excellent.

I love this little old school bookstore. Super friendly staff too

Really good bool selection, great prices and very helpful staff.

Plenty of great books and some wonderful bargains as well

Staff very helpful. Shop has lots of wonderful books.

Best bookshop for fantasy and sci-fi