Thumbing
through A Girl for All Seasons reminded me of my foibles, impetuousness,
and frivolity during those heady days. All these years, I’ve kept the two pink
volumes – not a mean feat as I have moved apartments/homes at least 10 times
since then.
I’d like to think I’m more grounded now - literally and figuratively - darting around
most days either in my white sneakers or my reliable Merrells.
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While independent booksellers these days
may seem like David taking on Goliath, their spirits remain undaunted. Armed
with creativity and passion, these brave individuals are not merely keeping our
bookshops open—they are revitalising them. Their ideas, told through this blend of
memoirs, historical fiction, and contemporary narratives, show their resilience
and innovation.
1. Consider crowdsourcing. Alba Donati in her Diary of a Tuscan Shop (2022) wrote that, “Ideas don’t just spring out of nothing – they smoulder, ferment, crowd our mind while we sleep. Ideas walk on their own two legs, follow their own parallel path in a part of us we have absolutely no idea existed, until one day they come knocking: here we are, they say, now listen carefully! The idea for the bookshop must have been lying in wait, ensconced in the folds of that dark and joyous country we call childhood.” Alba knows what she’s talking about. In 2020 she left Florence and put up a bookshop she named Libreria Sobra La Penna in Lucignana, a beautiful Tuscan town with a population of 180. Thinking out of the box, she raised funds for the bookshop through Facebook’s crowdfunding. Opening a bookshop on a craggy little hill is challenging, but the obstacles Alba faced were even greater. The bookshop got partially burned and Alba had to do another round of crowdfunding. Then Covid hit. Despite all these challenges, Libreria Sobra La Penna was named one of the 20 most beautiful bookshops in Europe. Alba’s memoir is replete with charming stories of her childhood and life in the village. It also has a listing of books ordered and bought by her readers (note, she does not refer to them as “customers”) so this book leads to other books.
2. Join a meet-up site and launch a Book Jam. If Alba was living a frenetic life as a book publicist in Italy, Nanako Hanada in Japan was starting to question the life she was living. She had just separated from her husband and her job at the Village Vanguard bookstore has lost its lustre. To find herself, she joined a meet-up site where her chosen persona was a manager of an unusual bookshop who recommends books “perfect for you”. Interestingly enough, this was a novel concept, and she attracted a lot of hits. This led to a friendship with a book/bar owner who allowed her to run a Book Jam where a customer got to sit at a table with Nanako and two others who would recommend books based on a customer’s question. Eventually, Nanako got her bearings, and she now runs her own bookshop. The Bookshop Woman by Nanako Hanada (2024) is the author's personal story and comes with several book recommendations.
3. Move to France, get a mentor, be a publisher. Sylvia Beach, American, with a capital of US$3,000 opened Shakespeare and Company, in Paris, in 1919. Her English language bookstore and lending library was largely inspired by her partner Adrienne Monnier who energetically run La Maison des Amis des Livres. The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher (2022) is a marvellous read on the beginnings of Shakespeare and Company, the writers in the 1920s and 30s (Scott Fitzgerald, Earnest Hemmingway, James Joyce fans, take note) who supported the establishment, as well as the complexities of the publishing business. This historical fiction book provides a lot of insights on how to keep the business meaningful, afloat, and relevant.
4. Faithfully respond to customers, no matter how eccentric they are. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (1970) is collection of letters between Helene, an American writer living in New York at that time, and Frank Doel, chief buyer for Marks and Co., a London antiquarian bookshop. There is formality and seriousness at the beginning of the correspondences between the two which developed into banter and concern. During Britain’s postwar shortages, Helene would send food and personal effects to Frank’s family and staff of Marks and Co. The letters resonate with a deep love of books and the lengths to which people will go to acquire them.
5. Operate the bookshop from a houseboat; put the right novels to appropriate ailments. The Literary Apothecary in The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George (2013) offers diagnosis and book therapy. When Jean Perdu, bookshop owner, becomes unmoored (literally and figuratively), there ensues an adventure that’s a bit of Barbery's "The Elegance of the Hedgehog", Jonasson's "The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared", and Greene's "The End of the Affair" (minus the pathos). There are also recipes and a list of the prescribed books from the Literary Apothecary at the end of the book.
6. Have a bookshop with a secret backroom. The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris by Daisy Wood (2022) has two stories running parallel: Jacque and his La Page Cachee bookshop in the 1940, a time when being Jewish was a kiss of death; and present-day Paris where Juliette, fed up with her husband’s infidelities, rebuilds her life by opening a bookshop.
7. Get Tumblewoods to help you out. Jeremy Mercer in his memoir, Time Was Soft There: A Paris Sojourn at Shakespeare and Company (2005) recounts his time at George Whitman’s Shakespeare and Co. bookshop. In exchange for a few hours help in the bookshop, read a book per day, and write a one-page autobiography, writers who find themselves homeless in Paris can have temporary lodgings at Shakespeare and Company – the bookshop’s Tumbleweeds. This memoir is as much as Jeremy as George’s story. The bookshop which opened in 1951 was originally called Le Mistral. It was renamed Shakespeare and Company in 1964 on the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birth and after getting the nod from Slyvia Beach to use the name of her bookshop (Sylvia had to close her bookshop when Nazi Germany occupied Paris in 1941). If Sylvia Beach was a force of nature, George Whitman was an equally compelling and extraordinary character.
8. Have extraordinary projects on the side (but don’t get caught). Camino Island by John Grisham (2017) is not your usual Grisham novel. Bruce Cable operates Baybooks, a popular bookshop in Camino Island, Florida. He indefatigably organises book launches, keeps up to date with writers, networks, and is always in his bookshop bright and dandy to attend to customers. Baybooks, much as it runs like a well-oiled machine, has a backstory. In Amor Fowles’s Table for Two (2024), Timothy Touchett did some work for Peter Pennybrook, purveyor of Used and Rare Editions which significantly catapulted Peter’s reputation and revenue in the bookselling business. These two stories provided me much entertainment. But Virginia, don’t go there.
9. Have a room above the shop. In Days at the Morisaki bookshop by Satoshi Yagisowa (2010), Takako accepts her Uncle Satoru’s offer to live at his bookshop rent-free. This bookshop has been in the family for three generations. Takako gradually warms up to the arrangement, starts reading voraciously, and offers to work at the bookshop. This book reminded me of how I felt reading Haruki Murasaki's Norwegian Wood the first time - but with a more optimistic ending. Who wouldn't want to have an uncle like Satoru who owns a bookshop, who loves you unquestionably, will march with you to confront your ex, and has a fiery wife like Momoko?
10.Have great coffee. In Welcome to Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum (2024), Yeongju, like Alba, is burned out. She opens Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, nestled in the neighborhood of the same name. Among other things, she enlists Minjun and delegates to him a coffee corner. Minjun put his heart and soul in what started as a small job and leapfrogs to envisioning that “word would spread that Hyunam-dong Bookshop made delicious coffee; that his coffee would live up to the expectations of those who came by specially to try it; that the flavours of his coffee would meld into the bookshop’s vibes, and the aroma would linger to warm the hearts of its customers.”
11.Worry as you run a bookshop. Yeongju introspects, “Perhaps the business model of an independent bookshop was one built on dreams – whether it was a dream of the past or the future. Those who start a bookshop probably dreamt of doing so at some point in their lives. And when they woke up from the dream a year or two later, they would close that chapter in their lives.”
She sagely adds, “Like any other bookshop owner, one of my biggest concerns is how long I can keep the place running. For those here who want to start a bookshop, you’ll be worrying about this, and other things too. But if you decide that a bookshop is not for you, and you want to pursue something else instead, it’ll come with another set of worries. What I’m trying to say is: whatever you do, you will face challenges. Even if it’s not a bookshop, you’ll fret over whatever business you’re starting; if you work for a company, that comes with its own set of worries too. In the end, it boils down to this: what kind of work do I want to do, despite all the worries? For me, I choose to worry as I run a bookshop.”
Let me end with Alba Donati’s Manifesto for Aspiring Booksellers:
Live
your life reading
Welcome the people walking through your door as readers, not customers
Never fancy yourself better than your readers
Pay attention to what your readers ask for – it will open up new horizons
Never betray your readers by recommending the wrong book
Pick ‘your’ authors and give them visibility
Honour Sylvia Beach, every day of the week
Always offer a cup of tea Flowers – don’t forget flowers
Remember to celebrate Virginia, Emily, Jane, and all the others
One day is not enough for a bookshop crawl in Adelaide City. On this second day (check here for the first day, in case you've missed it), I’m starting at the city’s famous Central Market. I’ll more than likely get distracted with the bread, cheeses, sausages, sweets, fruits, and vegetables but I need to remind myself again that I’m on a mission!
I’ll give myself 30 minutes of wander and then go to see Barry at Central Market Books. Barry and I like talking about books we’re reading, and this has made me return to work late not a few times.
Central Market Books
Adelaide Central Market, H1 (Eastern Roadway opposite Standom SmallgoodsAdelaide, SA 5000
While there are several scrumptious options for lunch at the Central Market, I’ll have to head to Waymouth Street to check on Booknook & Bean. The café has a small collection of secondhand books that you can take home and an Honesty Box where you can put in a donation. Funds go to an organisation which offers micro loans in developing countries to help alleviate poverty. Now you know why you must absolutely drop in here.
I’ll meander next to Imprints, a jewel of a bookshop in Hindley Street. A few months ago, buzz has gone around that the owners of the store, after 40 years, have decided to place the store on the market. If you're interested in owning a fully operational bookshop as you don't have the time to build one from scratch, this could be your opportunity!
Imprints107 Hindley Street, Adelaide, SA 5000
Then off to O’Connell’s Bookshop, a sprawling
secondhand bookshop. This shop used to be in Hindley Street when I first started
dropping by in 2009, enthralled with Graham Greene. The bookshop has since moved
a little further down to Bank Street. There was a point I was going crazy
because I couldn’t get my Masters of Rome by Colleen McCullough collection in a
uniform size. Today, I love gazing at my complete hardbound set, many thanks to
Ben. Established in 1957, I will say with absolute certainty that you will not
leave this bookshop emptyhanded.
O’Connell’s Bookshop
19 Bank Street (14b Station Arcade), Adelaide, SA 5000https://www.abebooks.com/oconnells-bookshop-adelaide/1403738/sf
Page & TurnerLevel 2, Myer Centre, Rundle Mall, Adelaide, SA 5000
I’ll celebrate the end of the two-day Adelaide City bookshop crawl with a toast at the Bibliotheca Bar and Book Exchange (by this time, I am hoping friends have joined me along the way). It’s got books, book-themed cocktails, and the ambience is pitch-perfect for book afficionados. And I this I must say: I’m not a big fan of toasties, but Bibliotheca’s toasties have made me a convert.
A gentle reminder when you plan your bookshop crawl. Most of these establishments are closed on Sundays and Mondays so best to work around Tuesday to Saturday.
Until the next bookshop crawl!
I've been wistfully thinking lately how I must make time to walk around the city without haste, visit my favourite bookshops, read, sip coffee. I have drawn up my route, punctuated with caffeine.
I’ll start the day with a fortifying brunch and get into a book mood at Coffylosophy. Established ten years ago, the cafe offers a wonderful array of meals and beverages. Harsh and team are gregarious and friendly, but I’ll make a big effort to extricate myself from their company. Today, I’m on a mission!
After that satisfying brunch, I’ll walk along Hutt Street. The first stop is Oxfam Books, which has a collection of well categorised second-hand books. I’m aware it is too easy here to get caught up in conversations with volunteers. I recall one time listening to a fascinating exchange at the checkout counter about Cicero and his beloved daughter Tullia who predeceased him. Apparently, Shakespeare’s oft quoted line “To be or not to be” originally came from one of Cicero’s letters to Atticus.
Oxfam Books
Suites 2-3/81-89 Hutt Street, Adelaide, SA 5000
Thereafter, I’ll head to New Morning Books in Frome Street. John is wonderful and can be especially helpful with finding those missing books in a collection. I vividly remember my joy when I finally tracked down and completed my Alexander by Valerio Massimo Manfredi set.
New Morning Books
155 Frome St., Adelaide, SA 5000
By this time, I am ready for my second caffeine dose. Heading towards Grenfell Street, I’ll turn at Twin Street. It’s a narrow alley and I remind myself to walk slowly, so I don’t miss it. There’s takeaway coffee at Everything Brewtiful. Kevin making coffee is pure sunshine and I have started referring to him as my adopted son.
A hop and skip away from the takeaway coffee shop is the iconic Adelaide Arcade. There are two shops here I must absolutely visit: Peter and Michael’s adorable Adelaide Comics Centre and Kate and Nick’s well-curated Orchard Bookshop.
Adelaide Comics Centre
Shop 6G Gay’s Arcade Adelaide Arcade, Rundle Mall, Adelaide, SA 5000Orchard BookshopShop 26, Adelaide Arcade, Rundle Mall, Adelaide, SA 5000
By this time, I am ready for my pop fix, so I step out of the Adelaide Arcade and walk across to QBD. There are usually sales happening here of books, games, trinkets that I often end up purchasing random items for family and friends.
QBD Books Rundle Mall
138 Rundle Mall, Adelaide, SA 5000
And of course, there’s Dymocks, the leading bookseller in Australia. I was deeply perturbed when Dymocks in Adelaide closed in April 2021 following long-time franchisee Mandy Macky’s decision to retire. I trawled news regularly trying to find out where they were going to relocate. There was a rumour that Dymocks would open a temporary shop somewhere on Gawler Place. I remember walking up and down that street during my lunch breaks, despondent that I couldn't see any sign of a bookshop opening activity. Then they opened a popup shop at the Myer Centre. It was a gloomy location and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who kept annoying staff asking when and where they would set up a more permanent store. The wait was definitely worth it after Dymocks announced that it was opening at the Regent Theatre. What an absolute coup to relocate to this historical, light-filled, airy building!
Dymocks
Regent Theatre, Level 1, Shop 45, Rundle MallAdelaide City, SA 5000
Now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of my day's labour. I’ll conclude the day with a late lunch at the Penguin-themed Script and Bean nestled within Dymocks. The café opened early this year, perfectly complementing (or more accurately, "completing") the bookstore. It is delightful to listen to Ann and Stuart's serendipitous story of how they came to establish this charming cafe in the bookshop.
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