Bookshop Stories shines a light on the people, businesses, and future of independent bookshops. In each episode, we speak to people who run bookshops around the world about the reality of the business, the role their shops play in their communities, and what the future of bookselling actually looks like. If you love books and bookshops, this is the podcast for you (there's plenty of chat about books, authors and recommended reads). But if you're interested in business, appreciate culture and value local community (whatever that is), you will find plenty to love too.
When Jacqui Delbaere opened The Little Green Bookshop in Herne Bay, she wasn't simply fulfilling a lifelong dream of owning a bookshop. She was responding to a moment in life when everything had changed. After a career in public relations, her children leaving home and the end of her marriage, Jacqui found herself asking a question many of us face at different points in our lives: what comes next? In this episode of Bookshop Stories , Jacqui reflects on creating not just an independent bookshop, but an entirely new chapter. We explore the realities of opening a bookshop from scratch, how she turned an old physiotherapy clinic into one of Kent's most welcoming literary spaces, and why independent bookshops can become so much more than places to buy books. Along the way we discuss: Why owning a bookshop had always been quietly waiting in the background Creating a space that feels like someone's front room rather than a shop Learning the realities of stock management, cashflow and running an independent business Building a community through author events, book clubs and Herne Bay's first literary festival Why greeting cards sometimes matter as much as bestselling novels The impact AI could have on bookselling Why Jacqui now describes the Little Green Bookshop as "life part two" Whether you've always dreamed of owning a bookshop, love discovering independent bookshops, or are simply interested in stories of people finding a new direction, I hope you'll enjoy this conversation. Books and authors mentioned in this episode: The Safekeep — Yael van der Wouden All Fours — Miranda July Clare Chambers Jonathan Coe Jacqueline Wilson Katherine Rundell James Rebanks Robert Macfarlane Bookshop Stories is a podcast exploring the people behind Britain's independent bookshops and the stories that shaped them. If you enjoy the episode, please follow the podcast and leave a rating or review. You can also find companion articles, recommendations and behind-the-scenes reflections at the Bookshop Stories Substack .
Lucy Atkinson imagined her future surrounded by books, but not quite like this. After completing a PhD in English and Creative Writing, specialising in historical witchcraft in fiction, Lucy expected to continue writing and researching stories. Instead, she spotted an empty shop in the County Durham town where she'd grown up, realised it was the only thing Sedgefield was missing, and decided to open an independent bookshop. In this episode of Bookshop Stories , Tom is with Back of Beyond Books to explore a question that sits at the heart of Lucy’s story: does spending years studying stories make you a better bookseller, or is it only through introducing books to other people that you really begin to understand them? We talk about Lucy’s unusual route into bookselling, growing up with dyslexia and discovering stories through video games before falling in love with reading, why northern writers deserve a bigger spotlight, the responsibility of curating books for a community, and the challenges booksellers face in the age of artificial intelligence. Along the way, Lucy explains why she wanted her shop to feel like a cross between The Traitors castle and Gilmore Girls , why her father was convinced the business would never work, how book-themed cakes have become one of the shop’s unexpected attractions, and why she's happy to spend her days helping other people discover great stories rather than writing one of her own. It’s a conversation about books, certainly, but it’s also about creativity, curation, community and the many different ways stories shape our lives. Books, authors and recommendations from this episode The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) by Sarah J. Maas My Friends by Fredrik Backman The Lady Upstairs by Jessie Elland The Pale Mistress by Naomi Kelsey The Wives of Halcyon by Irini Lapatecki Lizzie Pook, Lucy Rose and Neil Gaiman If you enjoy Bookshop Stories , please follow the podcast and leave a review. You can also read my accompanying essays about the people and places behind each episode on the Bookshop Stories Substack .
For fourteen years, Emily Partridge dreamed of opening a bookshop. While working in education, she imagined creating a place where people could browse, discover new authors, sit with a cup of tea and lose themselves among the shelves. Like so many long-held ambitions, though, it was always something for “one day” – until redundancy forced a decision that would change her life. In this, the very first episode of Bookshop Stories , we’re with Black Cat Books in Launceston, Cornwall, to hear how Emily turned a fourteen-year dream into reality and what she’s learned during the first eighteen months of running an independent bookshop. Our conversation explores the realities of modern bookselling, from six-day working weeks, social media and stocking decisions to the economics of running a small business on Britain’s high street. Along the way, Emily shares the story of a century-old prayer book that perfectly captures why she loves second-hand books, explains why her coffee machine is called Raymond, introduces us to Spook – the black cat who has become something of a local celebrity – and reflects on how Black Cat Books has grown into far more than somewhere to buy a novel. This is a conversation about books, certainly, but it's also about community, purpose, independent businesses, and what happens when you finally decide to stop talking about a dream and start living it. Books, authors and recommendations from this episode: Gorse and Ragwort by Sam K. Horton Folk horror writers, David Barnett and Jodie Matthews Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Maggie O'Farrell The Wicker Man (as an introduction to folk horror) Follow Bookshop Stories for new conversations with independent booksellers from across the UK and beyond.
Bookshop Stories shines a light on the people, businesses, and future of independent bookshops. In each episode, we speak to people who run bookshops around the world about the reality of the business, the role their shops play in their communities, and what the future of bookselling actually looks like. If you love books and bookshops, this is the podcast for you (there's plenty of chat about books, authors and recommended reads). But if you're interested in business, appreciate culture and value local community (whatever that is), you will find plenty to love too. In this trailer, your host Tom Idle explains what he's doing, why he's doing it, and why you might want to tune in.
