Welcome to House of Books & Friends
Welcome to House of Books & Friends. We are a purpose-led independent bookshop, cafe and events space with an important mission – to combat loneliness through bringing people together, to build and rebuild communities.
Our stunning bookshop is located at 81 King Street, Manchester and is home to our knowledgeable bookselling team (who eat, sleep and dream books) and we hope this will become a home away from home for you too.
We sell a well curated selection of titles, so come and immerse yourself in a world of books, pick up that perfect present and chat to likeminded book lovers.
If your looking to meet people similar to you, or totally different. This is a place for you. Find us here
If you can’t visit or just prefer buying online, don’t worry, you can still be a part of and support what we do. We sell books online via Bookshop.org and run virtual book clubs as well as offer subscription services ensuring that we can come to you. Our social media channels are really active, with recommendations, polls and links to everything going on at House of Books & Friends, so make sure you follow us and stay connected.
Our King Street bookshop is also home to a cosy cafe where you can discuss your favourite books and stories, share coffee with friends, bring your children or just come to relax!
We’ve also ensured that despite being in a Grade II* listed building, that we have accessible toilet facilities and access via a temporary ramp – if you need any assistance or have queries please just contact us on 07597 365380.
We want to inspire connection, collaboration and connectivity. So our events programme is another way for you to get involved.
Our unique space is also available to hire so you can host personal or business events. House of Books & Friends is a living and breathing enterprise and growing all the time so please use this site to explore the multiple ways we plan to live our mission and impact communities and how you can get involved.
And speaking of your involvement…
House of Books & Friends ensure that 100% of profits are put back into projects which directly address social isolation and loneliness. By working with not for profit partners we can reach out and really assist people experiencing loneliness.
We can quite literally help people turn a page and start a new chapter.
Opening Hours
Monday-Friday: 8am-6pm
Saturday: 9am-6pm
Sunday: Closed
Browse our Bookshop
Enjoy a Tasty Treat in the Cafe
When is a cup of coffee, more than a cup of coffee? When the coffee gives back!
Not only does every penny of profit we make go back in to addressing loneliness and creating opportunities to bring people together, you can also support others through our Pay It Forward scheme. This will enable someone who has perhaps forgotten their wallet or struggling financially to enjoy what we do, courtesy of you.
A good coffee and a brilliant bookshop are the perfect pairing; together we hope to do Manchester proud!
Business Club
Our Business Club will bring together an exclusive and special set of businesses who want to be part of the change they want to see. As part of this small but perfectly formed club, our members will receive a huge range of benefits and in turn directly help people in the local area to connect through one of our many projects and charity partners.
One of the many aspects of Business Club membership is where teams can be put through their paces and run a the bookshop for a day. Our members will be pitted against each other to see who can make the most sales.
If you’re interested in finding out more about Business Club membership please just get in touch.
Latest Updates
Hosting Your Own Book Club: Guidelines
Posted on: February 28, 2023
Category: News
With the first meeting of our very own book club fast approaching, we’re sharing some guidelines on hosting your own book club for those not able to make it and fancy having a go at their own reading group. Quite a lot of thought goes into preparing for a book …
Resources for Loneliness and Connection
Posted on: January 16, 2023
Category: News
We’ve collected some resources that may help you if you or someone you know is feeling lonely, for whatever reason. There is no shame to loneliness and it can affect anyone. We hope these resources may be of some help. The Red Cross The Red Cross has a page about …