We are Argonaut Books
nice to meet you
We’re Argonaut Books, a community bookshop for Leith, Edinburgh. We hold a diverse, curated selection of titles old and new; we are proud to only stock the books that we are genuinely passionate about. We’ve been open & trading as a multipurpose community
space/bookshop/cafe (hire our accessible event space for free!) since December of 2021. We love being a part of Edinburgh’s vibrant literary ecosystem and we can’t wait to welcome you into the shop!
about our bookshop
Tucked inside the old Leith Central Train Station at the foot of Leith Walk, Argonaut Books is a light and airy community bookshop and café. Catering to a local population of over 50,000 in Scotland’s most densely populated neighbourhood, we hold a varied and
exciting stock of new releases, old favourites, and choice backlist, making for a selection
you won’t find anywhere else. We have a wonderful and supportive community around our shop, and our book launches, reading groups, and evening events are always well-
attended. You’ll find all you need to know about events on our event page.
We have a bright, natural light filled café in the bookshop. Our coffee is supplied by Artisan Coffee Roasters, a Scottish speciality micro-roaster based in Edinburgh. Our teas are handcrafted from PekoeTea Edinburgh. Our traybakes are supplied by TastyBuns of Edinburgh. There’s free wifi and a giant window to watch the world go by.
We are passionate about books and people reading them. We run regular offers and deals both in-store and online. You can keep up to date with all Argonaut Books offers and events via our newsletter.
“This is a gem of a place with a first class selection of intriguing books, very friendly and extremely knowledgeable staff…”
about us
Owned & operated by Leithers, we are a living wage employer & job creator. Our team of 7 has come from all over the book industry. We are staffed by a team of highly experienced booksellers who have previously worked in Waterstones, Blackwells, many independent bookshops, as well as the Edinburgh International Book Festival, independent and Big 5 publishing, board game design, marketing, editing, copywriting, and events management.
Having such wonderful conversations over books and coffee since we opened has been a
true privilege. We do this because we love books.
notes on accessibility
Our shop is entirely at ground level with step free access to every area of the shop. We’ve been mindful in creating our modular layout that it remains fully accessible to all mobility needs and welcome any feedback or suggestions about how we can make your visit easier. We have gender- neutral toilets and the shop is well-served by public transport.
Want to hire our space? Want us to stock your book? Just want to chat books?