Syber's Books

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I have written on these pages of the beauty of a good second hand bookshop and Syber's books in Windsor satisfies many of the vital criteria of such a quality establishment. It greets you directly opposite the Sandringham bound exit of Windsor station, there's even a pedestrian crossing right out front so you can stop traffic in your quest for quality pre-loved literature, no doubt this is where Bunnings got the idea.

For over twenty years Sybers has had pride of place at the top end of Chapel Street, it has become such an institution that wherever on Chapel Street it was, that would be the top end for me. Watched over by Penny and her menagerie of cats, Sybers is a place where the book will live forever, where an eBook will forever be a baffling typo.

The clearance table out front beckons you inside with an eclectic mix of whatever you can possibly imagine as if the books make up some sort of codex through which all of the mysteries of the universe could be answered. Once inside and greeted by Penny and her cats, a metropolis of shelves awaits you with books that give you the impression they have hand-picked from trips far and wide.



As you venture deeper it feels less like a place of business and more like a special place, a favourite aunt's house, where good behaviour was rewarded with a cup of tea and a biscuit. The biscuit here is bound to be a well-worn orange backed penguin, a thick bound biography covered in a plastic dust jacket or early century leather bound book of poetry. The sort of bounty that if Christ was born today, a wise man would no doubt bring to the manger.

When the time comes to make a purchase your selections will be met with an approving eye. "Ah, Mr Vonnegut, excellent choice." Such respect from a merchant for their wares has a medieval charm that cannot be faked.

Of course the Windsor store is only half the Sybers story. If you prefer your book browsing to take on more of a primeval and fossicking style, then Penny's husband David watches over the Caulfield warehouse store. Here you'll find everything that won't fit in the Windsor store – and probably countless others –and is bursting at the seams waiting to be explored. Books are strewn from floor to ceiling in every nook and book lined cranny. This store also has a large selection of cookbooks, often hard to find in even the best second hand bookshop.

You can check out the website at www.sybersbooks.com.au where you'll find a database with a further selection of rare and out of print books that can be ordered online. It also tells the story of Penny and David's romance!

After a visit to Syber's you'll see that it's more than just another bookshop.

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#caulfield
#literary
#windsor
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