A new independent bookshop will become Bristol’s smallest when it opens next month in the Clifton Arcade. Heron Books will debut on Saturday (October 1) aiming to bring together a community that shares ‘a love of talking about stories’ .
Heron Books is owned by Bishopsworth resident Elizabeth Moss, a self-proclaimed 'book lover', former Waterstones manager, Classics teacher and aspiring writer, who is determined to change the way we view books.
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Speaking on why she decided to set up a shop, Lizzie said: "This is a life-long ambition bordering on an unhealthy obsession. Books are everything to me. I had been looking for premises, unsuccessfully and without much hope, for a while.
"When I found out that the Clifton Arcade had a unit to rent, despite the impending recession, the constant gloom of the news, and all other warnings to the contrary, I knew I had to go for it, logic be damned."
She added: "Clifton is the perfect place for Heron Books. The people (and their many beautiful dogs) peering through the door while I plaster, paint and put up shelves have confirmed that for me.
"Clifton was crying out for an independent bookshop and the arcade feels like the right place for this: among our wide range of books, our stock will complement the other shops here including the beautiful art galleries, photographers, jewellers and we've even found books which go with the wonderful terrarium shop."
Elizabeth says Heron Books will stock a range of fiction, non-fiction and children’s books, 4,000 of them in a 'carefully-planned cosy space'.
The 31-year-old added: "It is hard to sum up my relationship with books in anything shorter than a full memoir. But here goes: I love them. I want everyone to be able to have books in their home; I want everyone to know a character who reflects them, in their most full and wonderful weirdness; I want children and adults alike to know what hope is, thanks to a good book.
"Heron is a family name, my great-grandmother's surname, and I have always known that if I can start my own shop, I would honour her name in this way. Also: herons are the most incredible bird. I defy you to see one and not be stopped in your tracks, trying to memorise its every wise curve."
Asked for four recommendations, she said: "Before I attempt this I would like to put in a very strong word for reading things that you don't feel naturally drawn to. Being open to this is how one finds the most enticing new discoveries. I suppose that if I have to narrow it down, I would say: 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe, 'Averno' by Louise Gluck.
"'What I Loved' by Siri Hustvedt, but really you should read everything she has ever written, her novels and her essays. These are books which I think I will come back to throughout my life, always finding something new. If I may offer a fourth vote, it is for 'Death and the Penguin' by Andrey Kurkov'."
Elizabeth hopes that her shop can contribute to making effective change by bringing positive ideas to the forefront, using the power of literature.
She said: "There are lots of ideas in the works: I plan to organise author events, book groups and creative writing workshops. I will offer bespoke services such as gift lists to celebrate special events such as a civil partnership or wedding. I'll also be reaching out to local schools, community groups and libraries to see how we can support and work with them.
"World Book Day takes place in March but I have a feeling we will need to start planning events and what outfit to wear very soon."
Elizabeth continued: "Every independent bookshop I go into plays a crucial role in its community and is run by people who are doing something special for that community because they believe in it. That's a wonderful thing. Heron Books joins a wide and exceptional group of shops in Bristol and across the country all of whom want people of every age to find stories that help them to make sense of our world or to escape the world, or often some magical combination of the two.
"I learnt from listening to The Guilty Feminist podcast that we can all identify where we have power to effect positive change and act on this. As an independent retailer, I feel that Heron Books has power: I can choose to stock a range of books which represents the diversity of the society in which we live; I can offer a warm and inclusive space to talk about books, which really means talking about life; I can bring customers together through book groups and events, and spark new conversations. And I will do those things."
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