The best day of the week is back, bookworms! This time, we sat down (virtually, of course) with Megan Prince, owner of the Ironbridge Bookshop in Shropshire, UK. This place is anything but minimalist, so if you like rainbows, trinkets, and endless rows of books, read on!
image via @theironbridgebookshop
How did your bookstore transition from concept to reality?
I’ve owned the shop for a little over five years now, but it’s been a bookshop for about ten. I worked there from the age of thirteen and always wanted to have my own bookshop someday. The previous owner moved on as I was finishing up school and I ended up taking over when I was eighteen. So, I guess the shop was already a concept but I’ve spent the last five years trying to make it my own and couldn’t love it any more!
image via @theironbridgebookshop
What do you feel is unique to your bookstore?
We are mostly secondhand books, it’s always great to give books multiple lives. We specialize in vintage Penguin books from the 1930s/1940s. Fortunately, we have people visit and contact us from all over the world just for them, which I think gives us a uniqueness as you don’t see them around often.
If you had infinite space, what might you add to the store?
I’d love to maybe venture into selling more new books as well, especially comics and graphic novels. I’m a huge fan of graphic novels and it would be great to introduce them to more people. I’d also just like to expand the range of books we have, with beautiful tall shelves with a rolling library ladder, like from beauty and the beast – the dream! I probably have infinite ideas for what I’d like to do! Adding a cafe with literary-themed food and drinks and being able to host parties and events is another big idea.
How do you feel your bookstore fits into your local community?
Ironbridge has lots of independent retailers, all bringing something different to the town. A bookshop works well as it’s always nice to be able to pick up a book when you need one. Secondhand bookshops are getting hard to find. We stock local and new/upcoming authors to try and help them along and get their books out into the world. Also, we host a few local events and help out schools where we can.
image via @theironbridgebookshop
What does your store offer that a chain or online retailer can’t?
We like being able to chat with our customers face to face or over the phone. It adds a personal touch to book shopping. We’re able to make recommendations that way and make sure the customer is satisfied before they leave the store. I think it’s nice to be able to put a face or voice to the bookseller as well, rather than things being done via an automated website.
Do you hand-pick your staff to create a specific environment?
There’s actually only two staff at The Ironbridge Bookshop. Myself and my mum… but my mum is fantastic at window displays and displays in general so she’s always great at drawing people’s eyes to certain titles. A pretty window is a good way of getting customers through the door!
image via Megan prince
How else do you create a welcoming environment?
I’m what you might call an anti-minimalist. I like to have things everywhere, always tidy but I’m not a fan of empty space. The shop is rather colorful and full of almost endless books, postcards on walls, little literary trinkets, and displays. We let people browse for a while before asking if we can help. Book shops are designed for browsing. I find that books usually choose you than the other way around! We have lots of children’s books and a table and chairs for them to sit and play with books. We have lights on timers to keep the windows visible in the evenings and have fairy lights on the ceiling to create a bit of magic.
What about your store do you think appeals to your neighborhood?
We’re open seven days a week and always try to be welcoming and helpful, even when it doesn’t concern books. There aren’t any other bookshops around in the town. We get involved in town events and meetings, keeping up to date with the local goings on. It’s important to keep community spirit up in a small town.
Do you have any staff picks or releases we should watch out for?
I recently read the latest novel by Ben Aaronovitch, False Value. It’s part of the Peter Grant series, which is an urban fantasy set in London and full of mad magic, police procedural, and a cast of colorfully witty characters. Highly recommend! My mum is also a fan of Louise Candlish thrillers, always very gripping!
Do you tailor your inventory according to your community?
There’s a lot of industrial history in Ironbridge so I keep well stocked up on that, as we get a lot of tourists and locals interested. I also keep people’s requests and wants on file so I can get them in the future and let customers know.
image via @theironbridgebookshop
Is there anything else that you’d like our audience to know?
We do lots of mail-order via our social media. No website at the moment, but we’re heavily present on Facebook and Instagram. You’ll probably see my family’s clan of animals featured quite frequently as they all love books! You can contact us via most platforms. We love making recommendations, putting book parcels together and seeing people’s bookish photos.
You heard it here first, folks! Go follow Ironbridge ASAP for more magic. Do you know of a book shop worthy of a spotlight on our site? Contact us through any of our socials and you may just find it here next week.
featured image via @theironbridgebookshop
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