Waterstones

In a location opened in 1936 as Simpson’s clothiers—the Art Deco model for Grace Brothers in the saucy Britcom Are You Being Served? (the show’s creator was a clerk)—this branch of the giant chain is now Europe’s largest bookshop. Even if Waterstones is a Big Gorilla of bookselling, it handles the stewardship of that dubious title with dignity; there are six sweeping floors, an enormous London section, plenty of easy chairs for freeloaders, scads of discount offers, and a dedicated events space for visiting authors. The top floor’s panoramic cafe, 5th View, hops after work and into the evening.