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Post by Ann on Jun 14, 2005 22:33:56 GMT
The owner of my local secondhand bookshop is finally retiring, and he's selling all his stock off at half price, which means I've been down there a lot recently! The shop is notorious for being a complete mess, with piles of books lying all over the place. When I went there today, I took my camera with me. I know there are a lot of booklovers here, so you may enjoy these pics. The first one was taken by the entrance which is to the right and out of shot. The cash desk is in the corner to the right of the guy in the green shirt.  This is the view to the left of the guy in the green shirt.  There are 2 doorways leading to the back of the shop. This is a view from the very back of the shop.  This next is looking down one of the sections to the left of the previous picture.  Only one of the pics I took of the upstairs came out, and this is it. But I'm sure you're all getting the general idea by now!  |
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Post by gill on Jun 15, 2005 17:38:14 GMT
Is that Keel Row books Ann? ;D Can't think of anybody else who has managed to fit in SO many books into one building!!!!!! I was a regular visitor when I lived in North Shields and managed to pick up some brilliant cat/animal books from there...and the prices weren't too bad either! Must pay a visit VERY soon then!!! Possibly next week when I finally get a day off. Can't remember the opening times....are there any days when he's shut? Would be just a tad annoying to drive all the way down and him not be open!!! It's happened to me before  Just had a thought....do you reckon the house will FALL DOWN once the books are removed LOL It seems SUCH an old house that I'm sure all those bookcases are holding the building up!!!  ;D Gill |
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Post by Chaos_and_Company on Jun 15, 2005 18:31:38 GMT
Oh my! What an assortment of wonderful old books…a book lover’s dream. It brings to mind that old saying ‘chocker block full’ that’s a tremendous amount of books! Actually how does one look for certain subject matter in a maze like that… or do you just keep looking in hopes you’ll find a treasure?
Bobbie
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Post by gill on Jun 15, 2005 18:56:39 GMT
You could, quite literally, spend an entire day in there just browsing but I tend to look mainly for animal books and know where this section is so that helps.  Only annoying thing was when it rained/snowed...the books that were normally outside the shop in boxes would be piled up in front of the animal section and I couldn't get in!!! Was just telling Neil on the phone about half an hour ago and he says we MUST get down there soon! I think my new job and wages have come along just at the right time ;D Gill |
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Post by Lesley on Jun 15, 2005 19:13:39 GMT
oh i could spend the day there!! too bad he is closing shop. maybe someone will make the owner an offer. ann just think of all the books you could fix!
lesley
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Post by Ann on Jun 15, 2005 20:45:47 GMT
Gill,
The next Book Fair at Tynemouth Station is on 19th June, so perhaps you could combine the two. If I've remembered it correctly, according to the sign outside the shop he's closed on a Wednesday but open on Sundays. Might be worth a phone call to doublecheck though.
Bobbie,
There's a sort of order to it in as much as Gill says, there are specific sections. Trouble is, the very book you want may not be in the section, but one of the many heaps! It was in the pile on the floor in the second pic that I found a wonderful English Grammar book published in 1781 for £3.75 ($7)
Lesley,
Guess where Mrs B came from! The word is that the shop's being bought by someone who will keep it as a secondhand book shop. We all have our fingers crossed!
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Post by gill on Jun 16, 2005 20:37:54 GMT
The next Book Fair at Tynemouth Station is on 19th June That's good news....I thought it was LAST weekend! Oh dear...and I've just been paid AND got my last giro too so I'm a bit flush this weekend.....whatever shall I spend my money on? WOW!!! That is an amazing price for such an old book!!!  That's definitely good news Ann ;D.....I wondered what would happen to all the spare books!!! Gill |
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Post by Ann on Jun 16, 2005 22:59:19 GMT
It was badly wormeaten and didn't have any boards when I found it. Took a lot of work to repair it, but it's a nice book now. Luckily the worst of the worm holes were in the margins next to the spine, so although you can still see them, they're pretty unobtrusive now and the main thing is they didn't affect the text.
By the way, they were moaning about how poor people's grammar was, even in those days!
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Post by Edda on Jun 17, 2005 3:41:24 GMT
Looks wonderful, Ann!
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Post by Daisy on Jun 17, 2005 9:45:44 GMT
I could just see myself in there tidying up, getting everything together under subject headings and then alphabetically. Oh joy!
Marion
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Post by Ann on Jun 17, 2005 10:41:03 GMT
You and me both Marion!
My 1,000+ books here are all in order. Or at least they were. I've got to the point where I'm overflowing, yet again, so I'm currently attempting to sort them out, dispose of some (very difficult) and then rearrange them. (Buying 12 extra volumes of the Girl's Own Paper in the past two weeks hasn't helped!)
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Post by Edda on Jun 17, 2005 14:43:11 GMT
Having worked in a library for nearly three years now, I could help with that project, too. It would cost a lot to make the trip over from California, however. Sounds like a place I'd love to visit.
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Post by Ann on Jun 20, 2005 23:07:19 GMT
You'd also need a new wardrobe Edda - it's a lot colder here than it is in California!
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Post by Maria on Jul 6, 2005 22:41:33 GMT
What a wonderful shop! We have a few like that down here and I can spend hours searching for treasures. Trouble is, finding the shelf space when I get home again......my back room looks a little like some of those shots.
What a pity the owner is retiring. Obviously, it will be the end of an era, unless the new owner keeps the character that it has.
Maria
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Post by Lesley on Jul 6, 2005 23:06:56 GMT
order? books go in order? i though piles were okay. well there goes the catsup party i was going to have. piles with dust and cat hair of course. (except for a certain special cookbook i keep well protected). however, i do keep the books safe from the tiny people. they have their own books. if i was allowed our living room would look like the book shop.
lesley
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;D
