Collectors Treasury — Attraction in Johannesburg Ward 61

There are absolutely incredible books at this store-- which is why I was so discouraged at the way they are being kept. Book lovers like me treasure books, so to see most of them treated roughly like this was painful. Apart from very highly collectable books which are afforded some neatish shelves, most other books (including many first editions) are quashed all over and are getting terribly bent, damaged and dusty. (The prices, regrettably, don't reflect their rather tatty status and remain high).

My main concern, though, is that, different and eccentric as this crowded store is, it is a very serious health and safety hazard. It looks (and feels) like nothing has been cleaned in years and years. Tottering piles of books seem to have stood undisturbed for decades and dust and dirt is firmly established under and around them. The bathroom also looks none too clean.

"A store that offers a unique experience?" sure. "Very exciting? - absolutely... Until a potential fire breaks out - it's well nigh impossible to get out of the shop in any sort of hurry, and not even the vaguest of vague required health and safety rules have been followed at all. There is so much dust and grime that the place would probably go up like tissue paper. While the owners take pride in having a very interesting store, I think they should take more pride in keeping it clean and safe for customers (and books) - or at the very least, up to the required...

I was living in the Maboneng Precinct with my two kids and after picking my son up from school, also around the Precinct, we walked up Comissioner Street. My son noticed the building and said "hey mum, books!!!" and our curiosity went insaaaaaaane. We buzzed the gate and a walked into this amazing spot filled with books, friendly people and a really good-to-talk-to owner who had such amazing stories to tell. My son and I were so excited to be there, we came across wonderful treasures but slightly overwhelmed by how many books there were so we never really got the chance to really explore (they open late and close early) a bookshop that big should be opened 24/7, there should be bunk beds over there for people to sleep there (LOL) because you need a lot of time to find the books you want. Really fun experience to be there if you love reading and hearing good stories about the good old days from a highly knowledgeable guy. I am definitely going to find the time to really dig into those books - My son says he is going to read all those books in there before he turns 50 (he is 12 at the moment) - We'll be back once the Pandemic dies down and read our eyeballs off. Oh! and there are other things available like antique tea sets, old school vinyl records and basically anything you can think of (that you have never thought of before). Yeah, it was fun experiencing such a charming spot in Jozi...

This place is amazing if only for the sheer volume of stock - more than 2 million books, making it the biggest second hand bookstore in the Southern hemisphere (if not the world!!) It's not your garden variety shopping mall or suburban bookstore. No neat aisles with alphabetically listed titles, the Collector's Treasury is cramped and somewhat challenging to navigate, with little by way of order (although I was informed by the owners that they've started cataloguing the books and arranging by theme) and can be overwhelming. However, I was thrilled to find some gems - a James Baldwin title I've been looking for, a collection of short stories from around the world, plenty of stock on some of my favourite authors of fiction (Stephen King, Terry Pratchet, Tom Sharpe) and lots of African authors. I learned that they are happy to order books if they don't have them (or have them but can't find them!!😊). Great place if you're looking for out of print titles or random collectables - but not if you're finicky about personal space...