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The Shop
Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights opened its doors to the book-loving residents of Bath in June 2006, after owners Nic and Juliette Bottomley left their jobs as city lawyers in London and Prague in favour of a career in independent bookselling (aided by Juliette’s brother Harvey and, less helpfully, Czech street-pup-turned-Bath-shop-dog, Vlashka). You can read more about those scary early days in a few blog pieces that Nic wrote for The Guardian.
Mr B’s is on John Street right in the heart of Bath. It is a bright and relaxing place to shop where you’ll always receive a warm welcome. Cream shelves packed with books span across three floors of a pretty Georgian building with lots of added quirky features such as a converted claw-foot bath book display, a wall papered with a Tintin comic, toilets papered in book reviews, a rentable reading booth (complete with leather chair and biscuit barrel) and our sumptuous “Bibliotherapy Room” with comfy armchairs, a fireplace, rotating thematic book displays and free tea and coffee available for customers.
In 2011 we were thrilled to be named the UK’s Independent Bookshop of the Year for the second time, with the judges pointing to our “palpable passion” for books and our “compelling blend of traditional and bookselling methods”.
We believe that to thrive as an independent bookshop in the twenty-first century it’s not enough just to offer a fantastic selection of books and the friendly and conscientious service that a customer should expect of any quality bookshop. We think it’s also essential (and fun) to share our love of books with our customers in as many different ways as possible whether it’s nattering about books with you in the shop or through our blogs and book groups, our “Book Lovers Unite!” literary events, our themed book recommendation lists or our ultimate gifts for book lovers.
As well as the many kind things customers have written in our guestbook, many have blogged about their visits to Mr B’s such as Silvana de Soissons, Emma Newman, Helen Fennell, Faberge Monkey and Jackie Morris. We’ve also been featured on BBC Radio 4’s Today and Front Row programmes and by various generous media types including these pieces from The BBC and in The Telegraph, Sky Arts and Conde Nast
If you’re visiting Bath pop in and check out our burgeoning trophy cabinet which also contains prizes for the 2008 UK and Ireland Independent Bookshop of the Year (2011 & 2008), four South-West England Bookshop of the Year Certificates (2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011), Bath Life Awards for Innovation (2011) and for Best Bath-Based Retailer (2008) and never forgetting Nic’s Wymeswold Junior Snooker Champion gong (1983).
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