‘There’s something new to do in NQ.’ So say Christine Cafun and Lyndsy Kirkman, sister owners of new Northern Quarter indie bookstore Chapter One Books, which stocks a plethora of handpicked titles, serves great coffee and even boasts a performance space for bookish events. A dream concocted in an epiphanous moment, when the owners rediscovered their love for beautiful tomes after years in the finance and beauty industries, Chapter One became a reality in April this year to the delight of NQ bookworms.
Chapter One are building on this community concept with a 50-seat theatre
Top notch bookselling is one of the store’s primary concerns, with personalised recommendations and regularly changing stock featuring titles that aren’t always readily available elsewhere, such as Sarah Jamson’s debut Summer of Secrets and new biannual literary magazine Shooter; giving less mainstream authors a chance to be discovered and expose consumers to fresh and original content in a variety of genres. Not only that but customers are also inspired to write their own literary masterpieces with typewriter booths and a nostalgic yet chic decor reminiscent of the vanishing art of bookselling.
Chapter One, Lever StreetThe venture is a brave one, with low profit margins and high overheads: figures from the Booksellers Association illustrate a consistent year-on-year decline for independent bookstores whilst Waterstones founder Tim Waterstone has oft warned against new openings; lamenting an aggressive, digitised new era dominated by monster corporations such as Amazon against whose prices it is impossible to compete. December 2009 saw the ultimate demise of popular chain Borders and now few others survive on the high street besides London-based Foyles and academic retailer Blackwell’s.
However, whilst chains are suffering, support for smaller independents is growing as the desire for long-established values over soulless ‘bullies’ becomes increasingly relevant; larger channels may threaten with lower price points but the bookstore as an inherent part of society is a deeply ingrained tradition which booklovers want to keep alive. Chapter One are building on this community concept with a 50-seat theatre for creative shenanigans and a cafe with all sorts of scrumptious sweets to enjoy while you’re reading, browsing or indeed writing your own magnum opus.
Judging by the reviews on Twitter, it’s set to be a success. Join the bohemian book brigade and pop in at 19 Lever Street.
Chapter One
