Going from market stalls to a sell-out store in Crookes, a couples’ bookshop dream has received a very warm welcome on their opening weekend.
Novel, a bookshop the size of a large cupboard on Conduit Road, is the passion project of Walkley couple Kate and Joe Nixon.
Located in the back of Crookes coffee shop Queen of the Suburbs, their first weekend open left them with empty shelves and a feeling that Crookes is the place for independent stores to thrive.
Kate Nixon, co-owner of Novel, said: “I’m really passionate about my area and have always wanted to be in a suburb for that community feel. The place where we’ve always had the best reception is Crookes.”
The pair, who are also part-time teachers, curate a selection of 10 carefully selected books each month. They span across all genres, from the autobiographical fiction Fresh Water to a collection of short stories, Homesick For Another World.
She added: “People will come and see me to chat about the books they’ve read that we’ve chosen for them. Knowing this is on their doorstep, it really generates a community.”
While everyone is leading their own busy lives, books are a way to easily connect with old and new friends, Kate told Sheffield Wire.
Keeping the cost of living crisis in mind, Novel owners are aware that people are spending less. “The way I see it, books are a cheap night in,” Kate jokes. “I find reading incredibly mindful and it can have such a positive impact on people’s wellbeing.”
The pair have purposely chosen shorter, more accessible reads for their new store. “We want to help people who haven’t traditionally been readers, or who’ve fallen out of love with it over time,” Mrs Nixon said.
Novel’s current book of the month is On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, a fictional autobiography about a Vietnamese-American boy and his relationships growing up.
Ms Nixon said: “He’s a poet by trade and this is his first book – it’s just gorgeous. I really love the way he writes, so I thought I’ve got to stock it here.”
For more recommendations, visit Kate and Joe at Novel. They are open Thursdays and Fridays 7:30am – 3pm and Saturdays 9am – 3pm at the Queen of the Suburbs. You can also find them online here.
