Elizabeth's Bookshops: Book dealers since 1973

Elizabeth's Bookshops are one of Australia's largest second-hand bookshop operations, with 7 stores on both sides of the Australian continent. Established in 1973, Elizabeth's Bookshops are now in Perth, Fremantle and Subiaco (WA) and Sydney CBD and Newtown (NSW).

For over 38 years, Elizabeth's have been major dealers in second-hand books and out-of-print titles.

We concentrate on finding "quirky" titles that are not run-of-the-mill and generally not easily available. We also carry a limited range of new books, including the complete "Asterix" and "Tintin" titles and Penguin Classics.

Although we certainly have areas of particular interest (e.g. History, Military, Literature, Erotic Fiction, Children’s Books, etc.), the general nature of our bookselling usually makes our in-store prices very competitive with those of our specialist and antiquarian colleagues.

Elizabeth's Bookshops online

We understand that the internet book trade is very competitive and that our customers have a choice of a wide range of local and overseas suppliers.

Therefore, our online prices aim to match or beat any identical title from any other Australian internet bookseller.

We aim to ensure that your loyalty to Elizabeth's is always rewarded by giving you the best possible price in Australia and the best possible service.

To encourage you to register for online purchases, we have introduced FREE POSTAGE (Australia Post Red Parcel regular delivery) for Australian orders over $100.00 for registered customers, who will also be eligible for loyalty reward and discount coupons redeemable on the website.

We dispatch to you within 24 hours

Postage charges

PLEASE NOTE: Postage rates are based on the item(s) being within the Australia Post weight range (up to 3 kgs) and fitting in the standard post bags.

Some books may be too large or too heavy for standard Australia Post and we will need to contact you re extra postage costs.

We will always contact you to get your approval before debiting your credit card.

Elizabeth's and Libraries, Book Clubs and Mining Camps

We have mutually beneficial relationships with several public, school and university libraries. We also supply many book clubs and provide libraries for mining camps and cruise ships.

Please contact our warehouse (08 63117030) for any enquiries.

Elizabeth's and the Community

In recognition of the members of our family, friends and staff who have graduated from NIDA ,the National Institute of Dramatic Art (http://www.nida.edu.au/), we are proud sponsors of a Student Bursary for West Australian students in the acting course at NIDA.

We are also among the sponsors of Children's Book Week, the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children's Foundation book project (http://www.pmhfoundation.com/), independent theatre productions, various charities and other community activities.

Why don't we have a database for all our books?

We do get this question frequently, sometimes from quite irritated customers. And we do try not to be rude in our response.

It's simple: Over our 7 stores, we stock 300,000+ titles. (Not books, but titles!) Even if we had the technology (which we don't) to track them in real time as incoming and outgoing stock, our cheapest quote to database them (is that a verb?) in a logistically usable fashion is in excess of $100,000. And add another $30,000 per year to that for staff input time, etc.

Our stock turn is close to 66% per year, so that requires 200,000 inputs x 2 (assuming we replace the stock, so delete and re-enter). Can you imagine the staff wages cost of that?

On an average unit sale price of $10.00, it would be financial suicide.

Sorry folks, but we can't do it. Even Strand Bookstore in New York City doesn't do it!

Yes, if you are a franchise A&R or Borders bookshop (and we all know what happened to them) and stock, say, 1,000 titles and your software data entry is handled by Head Office - you can do it. We can't.

So, sorry guys, but you'll have to live with it.

Our staff are VERY good at knowing what we've got in stock. But they are not connected to a mouse.

We have always seen second hand book searching as being NOT about the books you are looking for, but about the books you FIND.

Keep an open mind and grow.

Store Locations

ALL ELIZABETH'S BOOKSHOPS ARE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!

Western Australia

Elizabeth’s Hay Street
Address: 820 Hay Street (cnr King Street) Perth WA 6000
Phone: (08) 94818848 Fax: (08) 9481 0638

Manager: Nathan

Opening Hours: 7 days Mon - Wed 9:00 am - 8:00 pm Thu - Fri 9:00 am - 9:00 pm Sat 9:00 am - 9:00 pm Sun 9:00 am -7:00 pm.

 Elizabeth’s Subiaco
Address: 29 Rokeby Road Subiaco WA 6008 (opposite Dome Coffeeshop)
Phone: (08) 9381 5886

Manager: Natalie

Opening Hours: 7 days Mon - Wed 9:00 am to 7:00 pm Th - Sat 9:00 am to 9:00 pm Sun 6:00 pm

Elizabeth’s Fremantle High Street Mall

Address: High Street Mall (opposite Culley's Tearooms)

Phone: (08) 9430 6700

Opening Hours: 7 days 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Summer: Friday until 8:00 pm)

Elizabeth's Warehouse
Address: 23 Queen Victoria Street, Fremantle WA 6160 (on the main road into Fremantle over the traffic bridge, just before Bayswater Car Hire).
Phone: (08) 6311 7030
Fax: (08) 6311 7031
Manager: Whoever is not making the tea. Alternatively, the head honchos: Kirsty (Company General Manager), Nat (Company Retail Manager) and Elizabeth.

 Elizabeth’s South Terrace Fremantle

Address: 8 South Terrace, Fremantle WA 6160 (opposite Gino's on the Cappuccino Strip)
Phone/Fax: (08) 9433 1310
Open until 11:00pm

Manager: Holly

New South Wales

Elizabeth’s Pitt Street, Sydney CBD

343 Pitt Street (between Liverpool and Bathurst), Sydney CBD 2000

Phone: (02) 9267 2533 Fax: (02) 9267 2633

Elizabeth’s King Street, Newtown

257 King Street, NEWTOWN 

(next to Franklins Supermarket, near Dendy Cinema)
Phone: (02) 9557 9524 Fax: (02) 9557 9546

Manager: Melanie

Open until 11:00pm

truelocal.com.au

We buy books

We are always interested in purchasing good quality secondhand books from the public.

In WA, please contact Elizabeth's Warehouse at 23 Queen Victoria Street, Fremantle (ph 08 63117030)

In NSW, please contact Elizabeth's Bookshop Newtown Branch at 257 King Street, Newtown (ph 02 95579524)

We recommend that you telephone us first to find out which categories of books we are currently interested in buying. (Unfortunately, we cannot give valuations or even estimates on the phone.)