Bookshop memories: your pictures and stories

When we asked you to share anecdotes and photos of your favourite independent bookshops, the stories poured in. From romance surrounded by Shakespeare to an encounter with a falconry-loving policeman, here is a selection of your bookshop memoriesSee all the contributions and add your own on GuardianWitnessIn a context of disputes among publishers over the digital market, uncertainty around the future of the print book, the meteoric rise of self-publishing and the legendary Foyles' move to a new building in London, we asked you to share your most cherished memories from independent bookshops. With an optimistic mindset and lots of love for the smell of paper, here is a selection of our favourites.Minibooks, Hay on Wye by JuslibolLordThe minibooks, beautiful decoration and still masterpieces of literature. I purchased way too many of them.Cotteridge in Birmingham was the unlikely setting of an amazing second-hand bookshop located on the top floors of a detached house that had become a glorious junk shop. My grandfather used to take me and the Dalmatian on a long bus ride to get there. I would be abandoned to peruse ancient medical texts, faded Penguin paperbacks, dishevelled Dickens tomes and bound volumes of Victorian periodicals. I'm unsure of what effect it had on the dog but all this turned a curious 1950s seven year old into a dedicated reader. I have never forgotten Treasure Trove with its random sofas, stuffed polar bear, glass cases of plaster pike, and room after... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #independent bookstores #latest additions #city block

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Sandwich Bookshop to close

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 15/06/2011 - 14:25 The Sandwich Bookshop in Kent is closing after seven years, blaming a rise in internet bookselling, supermarket discounting and the popularity of e-readers. Owner Louise Vance will be shutting the doors to her shop in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #internet bookselling


Random House launches first colour picture ebooks

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 15/06/2011 - 08:07 Random House Children's Books has released its first four-colour picture ebooks, marking the start of its ebook publishing programme for picture books. Digital editions will from now on be released alongside the physical... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture books #physical books #digital editions


Bookshop owners "earn £22,000 per year"

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 25/05/2011 - 14:13 Independent bookshop owners paid themselves an average wage of £22,200 in 2010, according to a new survey. Figures revealed that the average sales of those bookshops which took part in last year’s Bookseller Fitness Programme... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #average sales #book sales


Aurum buys spy's story

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 24/05/2011 - 08:25 Sam Harrison at Aurum has bought a biography of Cold War spy George Blake by journalist Roger Hermiston. Harrison acquired UK and Commonwealth rights for a "significant" five figure sum from Andrew Gordon at David Higham... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #figure sum #andrew gordon


High street bookshops need greater support - Streeter

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 16/05/2011 - 09:56 The economics for booksellers "simply don't work" as they struggle with high costs and low margins, the president of the Booksellers Association has claimed. Jane Streeter was delivering the introduction at the BA Conference at... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #booksellers association #simply don #high costs #ba conference #kings place #morning 16th


British Bookshops' creditors to receive less than 10% of money owed

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 09/05/2011 - 15:41 The administrators of British Bookshops and Stationers has said it can only pay back eight-10p in every pound owed and expects the level of claims to increase. A recent document published on Companies House said the former... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #unsecured creditors #british bookshops #money owed #companies house


Torbay Bookshop up for sale

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 04/05/2011 - 15:48 The owners of the Torbay Bookshop, the Paignton based independent bookseller, have put the shop up for sale after almost 20 years trading. Co-owner Matthew Clarke said it was the right time to sell the business, with he and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #torbay bookshop


Waterstone's launches second Picture This comp

Publication Date: Tue, 03/05/2011 - 08:00 Waterstone's has launched its second Picture This illustration competition, partnering with HarperCollins, the Daily Telegraph and children's author Michael Morpurgo. The competition was launched in the Daily Telegraph Review and on Waterstones.com on... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #illustration competition #daily telegraph #favourite fairytale #vote online #winner announced #hay festival


'Heavy book buyers avoiding bookshops' says HC chief

Written By: Benedicte Page, Philip Jones and Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 13/04/2011 - 09:28 Bricks and mortar bookshops in the United States face a grim future, with the heaviest book buyers choosing to buy digitally, delegates at London Book Fair were told. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #benedicte page #philip jones #mortar bookshops


Sphere serves up Nadal life story

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 11/04/2011 - 15:45 Sphere believes it has a smashing winner with the acquisition of the autobiography of Rafael Nadal, the Spanish tennis ace and current world number one. Non-fiction publishing director Adam Strange bought UK and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rafael nadal #anne edelstein


More bookshops close; another 500 jobs lost

Administrators have announced the closure of 16 more Borders bookshops, leading to a loss of more than 500 jobs. Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald

[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2011-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #borders bookshops


Big Green Bookshop reaches 96% of its financial target

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 05/04/2011 - 08:28 The Big Green Bookshop is celebrating after achieving 96% of its path to financial safety. The indie retailer based in Wood Green, north London, sent out a mass appeal to its customers a month ago asking them to buy one extra... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #wood green #north london #mass appeal #month ago #extra book


More bookshops to close

Administrators have decided to close 12 more Angus & Robertson stores, cutting another 102 permanent and casual positions. Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald

[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2011-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shaun Tan wins Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2011

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 30/03/2011 - 07:28 Illustrator and author Shaun Tan has won the largest prize for children's and YA literature. Tan will receive the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2011, for SEK 5m (£500,000), at a presentation at the Stockholm Concert Hall... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #largest prize #ya literature


WH Smith reopens shops under British Bookshops deal

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 28/03/2011 - 08:54 Seventeen former British Bookshop & Stationers stores have held their first weekend of trade under WH Smith ownership. Nine venues opened their doors as WH Smith stores and eight re-opened under their original name of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #15% discount #half price


BBC boosts bookshop sales by "almost £500,000"

Written By: Philip Stone Publication Date: Wed, 23/03/2011 - 15:49 The BBC's "Faulks on Fiction" and "My Life in Books" series have boosted book sales by almost £500,000, Nielsen BookScan data indicates. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Big Green Bookshop half-way to fundraising target

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 07/03/2011 - 15:05 The Big Green Bookshop has raised nearly half of its fundraising target to secure its future at the beginning of its appeal week. Owners of the London independent bookshop, Simon Key and Tim West, appealed to 1,000 loyalty... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fundraising target #simon key #tim west #extra book


New Foyles bookshop to become biggest in London

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Fri, 04/03/2011 - 09:20 Foyles flagship bookshop will stock more books on the ground floor and provide easier access for customers when it moves down the road to a site almost twice its current size. The bookseller announced its plan to move down the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #foyles bookshop #ground floor #current size #bookseller announced #foyle family


38 bookshops to close

The administrators of failed bookshops Borders and Angus & Robertson announce the closure of 38 shops across the country. Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald

[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2011-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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