Independents' day

     

     This week, 14th. to 21st. June, is Independent Booksellers' Week, special events are being held, and the organisation sponsors an award - while I can't speak for the children's one, there are some very strong books there on the adults' shortlist.

     But let's look beyond that initiative and shine the spotlight on a few independent bookshops, specifically the ones on my list there in the sidebar on the right.

     Close-ish to home are The Edinburgh Bookshop and its sister shop The Children's Bookshop, and the lucky people of Bruntsfield and Morningside have these two excellent places on their doorstep (NB Vanessa, we need a branch on this side of town!!).

     Up in Perthshire there is The Watermill at Aberfeldy - a converted mill (and beautifully done it is), a coffee shop, gallery, but chiefly lots of wonderful books and browsing corners and more. It is well worth a visit.

    Two London shops make my list: Heywood Hill because I have shopped there and they were kind enough to get in touch when I linked to them ages ago; they sell a mix of old and new books, and will send you a list of recommended new titles four times a year. Then there's The Big Green Bookshop who had the bright idea of asking bloggers to recommend a 'book of the month', a scheme in which I am delighted to take part.

    Lastly comes The Mainstreet Trading Company in St. Boswells, down in the Scottish Borders. I haven't been to the shop - yet - but local friends have sung its praises so loudly (a fantastic selection of books, very nice, knowledgeable staff and delicious cakes, I'm told) that I'm taking a trip down there on Friday and shall report back.

   If you have a favourite independent bookshop, either a regular haunt or somewhere you've just happened upon in your travels, do leave a comment and tell us about it.

Comments

[Vanessa]

Hi Karen - thank you for your kind words but you'll have to keep coming over to the south side to see us as I can't open a bookshop in Stockbridge, despite dearly wanting to, because there are so many charity shops there. Fortunately we are on the number 23 bus route which goes v close to your house!

[Sandy]

The Ullapool Bookshop, Quay Street, Ullapool, Ross-shire is intelligently stocked and the manager & staff are knowledgeable & helpful to regulars & vistors alike. They even have internet access, so I can look again for the name of that book that caught my attention in the blog, Cornflower. (These names just fall down the rabbit holes in my mind nowadays).

[Dark Puss]

I'll add a few for those of you in or coming (Karen????) to London:

Foyles really is good, very comprehensive but is dramatically cutting back on space devoted to science and computing which is worrying.

Daunt Books is one of my favourites and there are two branches within 15 minute walk of my flat. Am I not fortunate?

West End Lane Books is also reasonably close and is about to open a sister shop within 50m of where I live!

Maybe I should actually buy some books from the shops I so regularly visit!

PS I did buy the book Indirect Procedures - A Musicians Guide to the Alexander Technique recently from Foyles.

[Dark Puss]

When I lived in Stockbridge in the 1960's there were real shops!

[Dark Puss]

I got timed out! Wanted also to alert people to Primrose Hill Bookshop which is a 15 minute walk from my flat.

I guess I am quite well served locally. Although I buy books for myself very rarely these days, I do buy for other people and (within the bounds of possibility) I never buy from a shop that isn't an independent.

[Carole]

After an unpleasant experience with The Book Depository, I am committed to buying only from real bookshops. That's made more difficult as I live in France, but I compile a wish list and wait patiently until I visit the UK (and read the books I already have, so my husband is pleased as well!)

[Simon (Savidge Reads)]

I had no idea that this sepcial week existed, am hoping am not too late to join in with something locally! Thanks for the links Karen!

[Fran]

For anyone down in East Sussex perhaps visiting Charleston, Glyndebourne or Monks House [V.Woolf] do take a trip to the nearby village of Alfriston and visit Much Ado Books [sorry not techno enough to make this a link but there is website of the same name.] This is a mix of new and secondhand books, beautiful cards, recyled book cover notebooks and much more in a rambling shop full of unexpected corners, cosy armchairs covered with crochet throws and plenty of extras such as the Supper Club going on. Although I rarely buy myself new books, if I do then this is the shop I love to go to for the best of bookbuying experiences.

[Dark Puss]

I have finally visited the Watermill in Aberfeldy, primarily to see the exhibition of photographs of South Georgia which I certainly recommend. We did buy a couple of books and we had coffee too.