There’s something ever so exciting about purchasing something from a vending machine, isn’t there? The old school charm of popping your coins in to the slot, the anticipation as your selected item falls into the tray, the dopamine hit as you clunkily manage to retrieve it; there’s just no feeling like it.
Well, what if we were to tell you that there is a hidden vending machine tucked away in the basement of a central London record store. But instead of delivering overpriced chocolate bars; it delivers randomly selected, one-of-a-kind books. How utterly novel, right?
Bookworms and bibliophiles, if you’re in the market for a new title to add to your bulging bookshelf; allow us to point you in the direction of the Blue Basement at Third Man Records. And more specifically, their book vending machine, the Literarium.
Designed and built by Craig Small in Toronto, Canada; the machine itself is only the second of its kind in the world. So yes, it’s a pretty big deal. Every book inside is exclusive to the Literarium. There are poetry books, manifestos, collections of short stories, and even opening chapters of yet-to-be-released books – but it’s a lucky dip, and so the book you’re talking home with you will be a complete surprise until it drops in that alluring compartment.
How does it work?
The Literarium is token operated, so you’ll need to grab some tokens from the counter upstairs before heading down to the basement. It’s £7 for two tokens, which is enough to bag yourself one book. All you have to do is insert the tokens into the slot, and before you know it, you’ll be the proud owner of a shiny new title. It’s a truly charming experience, and certainly not one to be missed by London’s literary lovers.
📍 You’ll find the Literarium in the basement of Third Man Records, 1 Marshall Street, Carnaby, W1F 9BA.
🚇 Nearest station is Oxford Circus.