The Thousands

Legend has it that the warehouse this bookstore calls home used to play host to an infamous brand of S&M parties. Apparently, and I get this from the finest source – an old flat mate who once stumbled into one of them ‘while drunk’ (a likely story) -  there was a strict ‘no leather, no entry’ policy, and ‘all the chicks had their tits out’.

These days, the alpine ceilings and oversized wooden beams are looked after by a decidedly less showy bunch, and it’s unlikely that you’ll cop an eyeful as you enter.

Instead, you’ll find over fifty thousand used and rare books, as well as a carefully appointed and profoundly diverse cast of new and independent titles.**Upstairs, the cafe serves organic coffee and fresh pastries, and nobody cares if you curl up in one of their armchairs.

This armory of literature might not titillate to the extent of its predecessors, but it certainly caters to your imagination.