BOOKSHOP spotlight

shining a light on the UK's best indie booksellers

This is the part of opt indie books where we celebrate an independent bookshop from across the uk & Ireland and the amazing work they're doing; highlighting the vital role indie bookshops play in their communities and on their high streets. 

Booksellers are on the front line of the industry. Faced with an endless range of choice, each & every bookshop has their own unique selection of books and their own unique way of representing & presenting them. You won't find two bookshops alike, just like you won't find two booksellers who share the same experiences or backgrounds.

A bookshop is only ever as good as its workforce, and a bookseller's knowledge & passion for books is what brings readers back to their shop time & time again. 

Each month we showcase a different bookshop & interview one of the booksellers who calls that shop home...
sometimes both literally & figuratively!

THIS WEEK...

KATE NIXON

NOVEL, SHEFFIELD

In this week’s Bookshop Spotlight, we visit Novel, A WELCOMING NEW INDIE LOCATED IN SHEFFIELD'S CROOKES NEIGHBOURHOOD. 

Founded by Kate and HUSBAND Joe in 2022, Novel started as a pop-up at markets before settling into its cosy permanent home on School Road. With its carefully chosen selection and inviting atmosphere, Novel has become a go-to for book lovers in the area. Kate shares the story behind the shop, from the challenges of getting started to the joy of seeing PERSONAL favourites thrive.

Read the full interview here

LAST WEEK...

LOUISE ASHMORE

READ, HOLMFIRTH

Nestled in the heart of Holmfirth, WEST YORKSHIRE, Read is an independent bookshop with a distinctive ethos and a strong community connection.

​Louise also shares the story of Read's origins, sparked by a shared vision between her and her husband, James, and why their family-focused lifestyle led them to make the leap from teaching to bookselling. Plus, readers will hear about the shop’s local impact, the importance of being part of a vibrant community, the shop's curated approach to bookselling, and MUCH MORE.

Read MORE

TAKE A LOOK BACK AT OUR PAST SPOTLIGHTS...

david torrans

No Alibis Bookstore, Belfast

Eloise Rowe

Falmouth Bookseller, Cornwall

helen wakefield

Edge Of The World Bookshop, Penzance

Lizzie Moss

Heron Books, Bristol

al Verey

Verey Books, Pooley Bridge

nic bottomley

Mr B's Emporium, Bath

Deborah alma

The Poetry Pharmacy, Bishop's Castle

clive judd & maria lomunno judd

Voce Books, Birmingham

alexander call

Bert's Books, Swindon

jim taylor

Lighthouse Bookshop, Edinburgh

Emma Hamlett

Collected, Durham

Alice Tradwell

House of Books and Friends, Manchester

​CAROLYNN BAIN

Afrori Books, Brighton

freya blyth

The Bookshop By The Sea, Aberystwyth

ROSAMUND DE LA HEY

Mainstreet Trading Company, St Boswells

Cheryl Duffield

The Little Bookshop, Leeds & Skipton

richard drake

Drake The Bookshop, Stockton

sarah shaw

The Book Corner, Halifax

mike sansbury

The Grove Bookshop, Ilkley

heather thomas

Westwood Books, Sedbergh

Tom Rowley

Backstory, London

Jonathan Taylor-Blair

Golden Hare Books, Edinburgh