Independent Bookseller of the Month: The Book Case, Hebden Bridge
Every month we feature a different bookshop – we ask them to tell us what makes them special and what they like most about what they do. This month it’s the turn of The Book Case, in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.
The Book Case was set up by Peter and Anne Tillotson and Felicity Potter in Hebden Bridge in March 1984 to provide the local community with a bookshop which reflected the interests of the local community and an ordering service for new books since the existing bookshop – at which Felicity had been working – had gone over (disastrously) to selling computers.
Introduce yourselves.
Felicity Potter has been a bookseller since 1982. The other staff who work part-time are Kate Claughan who has a young son and looks after the children’s section; Simon Manfield and Carol Jackson are local artists. Ness Parfitt is a literacy and functional skills examiner. Anna Siemaszko and Robert McLaughlan have worked as librarians.
Are there any specialisations, enthusiasms or interests you and your staff have that are reflected in the shop’s stock?
Felicity, Kate and Carol are interested in local history: Felicity and Kate set up Royd Press between them to fill gaps in the market. Kate and Felicity also specialise in walking books and nature. Felicity is a life-long literature explorer and also prone to sudden enthusiasms for random subjects (which does help the diversity of the stock).
Kate enjoys sharing books with her son, and tries to keep a wide ranging selection of interesting, high quality, and sometimes unexpected titles for children, from best sellers to classics for all ages.
Do you work with local authors, hold regular events and readings, etc.?
We know a lot of local authors and promote their work with displays and publicity, and sometimes with book signings. We also support local literary events.
We were overwhelmed at our Harry Potter Midnight Party and had a fantastic event for Michael Morpurgo’s “Born to Run”, where we raised money and donations for the local Greyhound Rescue Centre. And played host to a doggy party!
What are you reading at the moment?
Peter: Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese
Anne: Dark Fire, by C.J.Sansom
Kate: Annapurna – South Face, by Chris Bonington
Anna: Madeline Bunting’s The Plot
Felicity: Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Ness: Pattern in the Carpet, by Margaret Drabble
What are your criteria for any book promotions (e.g. 3 for 2, window placements, etc.) you may run?
We think what our customers would probably like and choose recommendations each month for a work of fiction, one of non-fiction, a children’s book and a CD, and display them prominently throughout the month.
What makes your shop THE shop to visit when in town on a book-buying mission?
Hebden Bridge has a character all its own, and we have grown with it over the years. We have an exceptionally good range of fiction and non-fiction – new and old – plus local maps, guides and history, books by local authors and what we are often told are “the best cards in town”.
We try and offer good personal service in a friendly atmosphere and do our best to find hard-to-get books for customers as well as the easy ones we can supply overnight. You may meet your friends in the shop!
A memorable visitor was Rabbit the Kiwi Rabbit. A forlorn toy rabbit found in our premises graced our shelves for much of 2007, but thanks to a customer his young owner was located in New Zealand! A couple from a local furniture store who were holidaying in NZ escorted him home and the pair were reunited. Celebratory carrot cake was consumed.
The whole story in pictures can be seen at www.btinternet.com/~bookcase/rabbit.htm
You can call the shop on 01422 845 353, or find them at:
29 Market Street
Hebden Bridge
West Yorkshire
HX7 6EU
and visit their website at www.bookcase.co.uk
