David’s Bookshop
This month we visit David's Bookshop, which has just celebrated 60 years in the business (many congratulations!) and is going from strength to strength. We speak to them about being situated in a Garden City, what the locals are like and about being an independent Employee-Owned Trust shop.
1. Firstly, what’s it like running a bookshop in Letchworth, the world’s first Garden City, and secondly tell us about being an independent Employee-Owned Trust – how did that come about?
Letchworth is neither a university town, nor is it a tourist destination, so we rely almost completely on trade from residents. Because of this, it’s important to stock the shelves with books that Letchworthians love. We do well with natural history and (surprise surprise) gardening.
The previous owner, Paul Wallace, sold the company to the employees in March 2020; right at the very beginning of the first lockdown. As far as I know, we’re the only bookshop EOT in the UK. If there are any others, I’d love to chat to the booksellers there, as the experience of working here is so unique. Everyone has a tangible impact on the way things are run, what is sold, and how the place looks.
2. David’s Bookshop sounds like a delightful hub of books, music, and scones – tell us how a normal day pans out.
The day starts with a strong cup of coffee from our sister café, and then begins the task of wheeling the second-hand books onto the pavement outside. If the day is wet, this early morning activity also involves vast, book-protecting tarpaulins. After that, the day can only improve. This year I’m pleased to say that we have had a lot of footfall, so much of the day is spent advising people on which books to buy, chatting with regulars, and shelving.
3. How do you go about choosing the books that line your shelves?
After we became an EOT we moved fiction to the front of the bookshop and expanded its shelf space by about three bays. Given that fiction dominates the front space, I tend to buy a good range, with a mixture of bestselling titles and representation from smaller presses. When it comes to nonfiction, it’s clear that the people of Letchworth love all things that are green and grow, so bold buying in the gardening and natural history departments is often rewarded.
4. You run quite a few events in store – what kind of events work best for you and your customers?
This year the headline event for spring is Ray Mears, who will be coming in to talk about his new book British Woodland. Of course, it’s a perfect event for Letchworth and we can’t wait to welcome him. We generally get a great response with our non-fiction events, and since 2021 we have also been running cookery demos and tastings.
5. And finally, happy 60th! What are you doing to celebrate 60 years young, and do you have any other exciting plans for the shop in the coming months you’d like to share with us?
On the 31st of March we had a party at David’s for staff past and present, representatives from the bookselling industry, and good friends of the bookshop. It was a great night, and I was very pleased to have the following day off. My colleague Chloe has made a selection of 60th merch (tote bags, bookmarks, cross fold leaflets) with the original David’s logo. We are busy throughout spring with our events programme, reading groups, and we’re starting a new silent book club in late April. After a few months off we will be returning to more events in September. We already have a few exciting things up the proverbial sleeve for autumn.