On Burnley Road in Todmorden, The Exchange is the sort of shop where a quiet dig through second-hand records sits naturally beside a browse of books, jigsaws, art and collectables. Everything is bought, sold and exchanged, so the shelves keep moving and a return visit rarely feels the same twice.
Background / History
The Exchange was started by Nick Williamson, who has spent more than thirty years buying and selling second-hand books. He learned the trade in North West markets, including Stockport, Halifax and Leeds, and previously ran the Book Exchange in Stockport market before bringing that experience to Todmorden. Nick is also a turntablist and musician who has played alongside DMC World Champions and is a regular at Todmorden’s Golden Lion, which helps explain why records feel central here rather than an afterthought. Ask him about Nick’s Exchange Scheme when you visit; the shop keeps the detail of the offer for conversations across the counter.
What You’ll Find
Second-hand books fill the front room, while the records sit up the steps at the back, so you can move from one kind of browse to another without leaving the shop. Stock turns over steadily: vinyl and other formats share space with books, jigsaws, art and collectables, all available to buy, sell or exchange. You will not find a static catalogue so much as a working mix that changes as people bring things in and take things home. Recommendations are part of the service; Nick has spent decades finding books and pointing people towards their next album, and that practical knowledge shows in how the stock is chosen and talked about.
Experience / Atmosphere
Browsing here is informal and unhurried. You can come in for a record and leave with a book you did not plan to buy, or climb the steps for a dig and end up chatting about music, markets or whatever has turned up that week. The mixed stock suits Todmorden’s independent streak: readers, listeners and collectors share the same rooms, and conversation feels as natural as flipping a sleeve. It is a shop shaped by long practice rather than display polish, and that is much of the pleasure of spending time in it.
Why Visit
- Second-hand records and books under one roof, with stock that keeps shifting
- Books in the front room and records up the steps for a proper dig
- Owner Nick’s decades in the trade, plus a turntablist’s ear for recommendations
- Jigsaws, art and collectables alongside the shelves, all bought, sold and exchanged
- Open Wednesday to Sunday, 9.30am to 4.30pm, a short walk from Todmorden station
Summary
The Exchange is a warm stop for anyone who likes the surprise of second-hand culture: records and books treated with equal care, shelves that change, and a shopkeeper who knows both sides of the counter. If you enjoy places where the next good find is never quite where you expect, it is well worth the wander along Burnley Road.
