John Sandoe Books

From the day John Sandoe opened the doors of his shop in 1957, it has been part of Chelsea’s cultural life. In the 1960s, Mary Quant was a regular customer; Mick Jagger, Muriel Spark, Tom Stoppard, Elton John, Edna O’Brien, Neil Tennant, William Boyd have all found books on our shelves and ordered others. Focusing primarily on the arts, our beautiful C18th shop accommodates about 30,000 different titles. Small rooms, Turkish rugs, wooden bookcases, spilling window boxes and winding staircases bring surprises and delights to the curious, while our staff are always on hand with knowledge and help. From paperbacks for local students to boxes for bibliophiles overseas, we deal with all books and all comers.

John Sandoe established his modest Chelsea establishment in 1957 alongside Félicité Gwynne, sister of renowned culinary author Elizabeth David. The business has since expanded into the neighbouring premises, accommodating approximately 30,000 volumes. Literature fills every available space. A long-standing patron, reflecting on the shop’s formative years, observed that John Sandoe stocked “all the books one could ever hope to find in one place”.

John Sandoe Books is Chelsea Arts Festival’s Bookshop Partner.