Many people suggested shops, but some shops suggested one in particular. The Snug Bookshop has been going through a bad time. Their ceiling collapsed and through no fault of their own it was unable to get it repaired. This means they sadly have to find new premises. Both The Gutter Bookshop and The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop suggested I choose The Snug Bookshop as the first one to order from. And so I did.
Booksellers get to know their customers. They can advise, guide a reader towards a book or series of books that is just right for them. Personal connections are forged. A bookseller can ask the right questions, have intimate knowledge of books and can create better understanding than an algorithm can.
I ordered Away With the Penguins by Hazel Prior, as a gift for my mum. It arrived already wrapped (I hadn’t mentioned it was a gift), together with a bookmark. I couldn’t have been more impressed with the service, the addition of the wrapping and bookmark gave it that personal touch.
I intend to buy from a different independent shop each month, in addition to continuing to shop at Read. If you have a favourite shop you think I should shop at, and a book I should buy, do let me know.
I asked over on Twitter for people’s favourite independent bookshops. I was so pleased to see how enthusiastic people were. There was genuine love and appreciation for independent bookshops and the sellers who work there.
Now I love a good bookshop. If it’s an independent one, all the better. Nothing quite beats wandering around, being drawn in my a cover or a title and coming home with a few (stacks) of new books to choose from. I often buy my books from my local independent bookshop, Read in Holmfirth. I’m lucky that there is one a short drive away.
I’ll keep adding to this post so you can see where my virtual bookshop crawl took me.
