I visited the internet’s worst-kept bargain book secret – did it live up to the hype?
By Megan Harwood-Baynes, cost of living specialist
If you are a bookworm or have spent any amount of time on BookTok, you have probably heard of the 66 Book Club.
And if you haven’t, don’t be surprised when I describe a warehouse on a dreary industrial estate in Hemel Hempstead as actual heaven.
66 Book Club usually operates for trade purposes, selling books wholesale, but one weekend a month (sometimes two) they allow members of the public to visit and stock up on books for up to 70% off the retail price.
In real terms, this means your average £8.99 paperback becomes £2.86.
If you want to push the boat out and treat yourself to a bougie £20 hardback, it will cost you £6.36.
Like most hidden gems, it is not actually that hidden – a few viral TikTok videos mean you’re pretty much guaranteed to be spending time queuing.
I first visited in November 2022, before it got hugely popular (yes, I liked it BEFORE IT WAS COOL GUYS). We managed to rock up on Sunday at 11am, found parking directly outside the front door and walked straight in.
There’s no real system inside; books are slightly haphazardly divided between children and adults, but generally, any sense of structure ends there.
You need to leave enough time to properly dig around, and while all the books are new, you are unlikely to find…
