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Regular readers of this blog will know already that in 2015 we’ll be officially launching Wimbledon Rare and Collectible Books. Although I’ve been dealing in second hand and collectible books of and on for nearly two decades, this is a new venture for us. Wimbledon Rare and Collectible Books will become a specialist department of BookAddiction, offering interesting, beautiful and collectible books. Our stock will focus on vintage books which are as much a pleasure to behold as to read, publishers’ trade bindings from the late 19th an early 20th century, books on book history, bibliography and book collecting and specialist lists in particular collecting areas such as book designers of the likes of Margaret Armstrong and Talwin Morris. We’re already offering a small selection of books through the good offices of AbeBooks but Wimbledon Rare and Collectible Books will shortly have its own dedicated website.
Establishing a new bookshop, one which will eventually we hope have a proper bricks and mortar walk-in shop, is a long-haul and involves lots of components coming together and several readers have been kind enough to inquire about progress and what’s involved. Last week, the decorators, the wonderful ‘Chris and Friends’, moved in and I’m pleased to report they have made great strides in turning plans into reality. Rows and rows of shelves have been built, installed and painted in gleaming bright white, ready to safely store and show off Wimbledon Rare and Collectible Books wares. There are some photos below. The room is not finished – the electrics need finishing off and the carpet is still to come up to be replaced by a hard-wearing wooden floor, but it will be a relief to be able to begin shelving some of the books currently stacked in inaccessible crates.
When the bookstore opens officially next year, we’ll be launching a unique membership scheme designed to make book collecting more as pleasurable, rewarding and affordable as possible. There’ll be lots of special offers for founder members of course. If you’re interested in joining as a founder member, please leave a comment to that effect below and we’ll be in contact nearer the time. If you want to tell us what you would like to see from a members club we’d be even happier!
2 responses
Looks wonderful Jessica – I wish you all the best with it!
Thank you. Bizarrely a week on this room now looks worse than it did – although the electrics have now been completed (and having light is such a relief) the floor has finally come up, revealing some very unpleasant and shattered caustic tiles…so new wooden floor going down. Can’t wait to start shelving books…that’s the fun bit.