The Hastings Bookshop

This December we talk to Charlie, owner of the Hastings Bookshop, an independent situated in the heart of Hastings’s creative and vibrant America Ground district and a stone’s throw from the sea. We asked what their vision was when they opened in 2020, which genres are currently selling well for them and how they choose their Staff Picks. Read on to find out more!

1. Tell us more about the Hastings Bookshop, what was your vision when it opened in 2020?

We opened The Hastings Bookshop in November 2020. The initial vision for the bookshop was to create a vibrant, inclusive space to showcase a diverse range of new titles; with a particular focus on literary and translated fiction, poetry, art, politics and philosophy. We also aimed to become the go-to bookshop in Hastings for events; be it book launches, poetry readings, kids story times or art workshops, or anything else that seemed fun and interesting. Unfortunately, as we opened during the Covid-19 pandemic, we were forced into a national lockdown just days after opening our doors for the first time. This meant that we had to adapt quickly and develop an online bookshop, shipping books out nationally and internationally – alongside providing local deliveries (on electric bikes) and a click and collect service. We were in and out of lockdown restrictions for the first year of trading, but from the summer of 2021 we have been able to realise our vision more fully and develop a diverse range of talks and events, that have included dozens of in-shop events, as well as some larger annual projects such as The Hastings Bookshop Poetry Festival and Hastings Queer Book Festival.

2. What’s your favourite part of bookselling, and why?

I have been working as a bookseller since the age of 16. The dark art of bookselling is something that becomes second nature if you spend enough years in bookshops, surrounded by books and getting to know readers’ interests, preferences and interests. It can be a hugely rewarding job. You meet a varied, interesting and eclectic mix of people and you get to spend every day surrounded by books. My favourite part is picking the stock, as I only chose to stock books that genuinely excite me, so I get a real rush when someone comes into the shop and buys something that I have chosen.

3. What types of books have your customers been buying recently? Have you noticed any trends?

We have definitely seen an increase in sales of translated fiction – especially amongst our younger customers. Apparently this is a trend that is being seen across bookshops nationally, which is a source of hope to me. We have also been selling lots of books about folk culture, magic, the occult and the history of witchcraft recently. Make of that what you will.

4. We love a Staff Pick – what’s your criteria when choosing the books?

Our Staff Pick section is changing all the time. Me and my colleagues Elliot and Jamie are always eager to recommend books. We don’t really have a set criteria for choosing our selections – it could be from any section of the shop – if one of us likes a book, it will likely end up in the Staff Picks section at some point. It is a good way of recommending books that might not get noticed otherwise, and it can also be the start of an interesting conversation between us as booksellers and our customers.

5. And finally, do you have any exciting plans for the shop in the coming months that you would like to share with us?

We are approaching our 5th year of trading and we are so grateful for the loyal support from our customers. Expect more of the same in 2025; interesting books, bigger events and fun times.