The Open Book

The Open Book A Bookshop Holiday Experience! Waiting list:
https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/ADE7A1091812FA95

Can't work in a bookshop without giving some recommendations! (Full disclosure, I've never read Danielle Steel but I was...
08/01/2025

Can't work in a bookshop without giving some recommendations!
(Full disclosure, I've never read Danielle Steel but I was out of room on the shelf. So she gets her own little plug. 😏)

Thanks to Joyce at for the recommendation. This is the perfect soundtrack to our cozy night above the bookstore.
07/01/2025

Thanks to Joyce at for the recommendation. This is the perfect soundtrack to our cozy night above the bookstore.

Hello Wigtown!! We're Holly and Sarah from MN, and we're in day 2 of our week stay at The Open Book. Come on by and have...
07/01/2025

Hello Wigtown!! We're Holly and Sarah from MN, and we're in day 2 of our week stay at The Open Book. Come on by and have a chat. We'd love to see you!

this is what we got up to yesterday! 🐮 we’re back in the shop until 5 today and ro will happily list all the coo names s...
19/12/2024

this is what we got up to yesterday! 🐮 we’re back in the shop until 5 today and ro will happily list all the coo names she remembers if you ask! 📖

we’re closed today to go adventuring ( 🐮 !!) but we’ll be in the rest of the week! stop by to browse or just say hello!
18/12/2024

we’re closed today to go adventuring ( 🐮 !!) but we’ll be in the rest of the week! stop by to browse or just say hello!

hi everybody! 👋🏻 we’re fiona (from london) and ro (from new york) and we’re here until sunday 22 december! come say hi 📚...
17/12/2024

hi everybody! 👋🏻 we’re fiona (from london) and ro (from new york) and we’re here until sunday 22 december! come say hi 📚🥰

Wigtown, thank you so much for welcoming me I to your community this week. It has been a pleasure and an honor. Until we...
15/12/2024

Wigtown, thank you so much for welcoming me I to your community this week. It has been a pleasure and an honor. Until we meet again, happy reading!

This is the adorable bell that will ring when you come visit me today at The Open Book. It's my last full day--come say ...
14/12/2024

This is the adorable bell that will ring when you come visit me today at The Open Book. It's my last full day--come say hi and get a tarot reading!

The store has been quiet this week, so I managed to get some sightseeing in. Here are some pics I grabbed while I wander...
14/12/2024

The store has been quiet this week, so I managed to get some sightseeing in. Here are some pics I grabbed while I wandered.

Elizabeth and Dave were here last week (hi yall!) And left this note and book. I love how books bring people together. J...
10/12/2024

Elizabeth and Dave were here last week (hi yall!) And left this note and book. I love how books bring people together. Jo if you see this, stop by!

Serious question: does it count as crass materialism if it's books? Not sure I'd actually make it financially as a books...
07/12/2024

Serious question: does it count as crass materialism if it's books?

Not sure I'd actually make it financially as a bookseller. Took in £62.50 over 5 days for The Open Book (let's face it, we were barely in on Wed.) but I've managed to spend more than that on books for myself from other people's stores. In my defense, a number of those shown were gifts or purchased for my workplace. , they're coming home to you! Also I have a deep interest in mysteries set in libraries or bookshops or those set in and written by folks from places we've traveled and I found a lot of those here so what else could I do but bring them home with me to read?

Santa down!
07/12/2024

Santa down!

"The day hangs like shackles from her limbs as she edges from inertia." - Imogen Stirling. Reading local poet's work fra...
06/12/2024

"The day hangs like shackles from her limbs as she edges from inertia." - Imogen Stirling. Reading local poet's work framed around the 7 deadly sins while minding the till and nursing a sore throat with cough drops and tea. Today is a sloth day for me. How about for you? (It only let me put in 4 options for the poll so the ones that first came to my mind probably says more about me than your answers would about you but feel free to weigh in!)

Recruited a community-sourced Santa's helper to lure people into the bookshop today. Scarecrow from the Open Book back c...
06/12/2024

Recruited a community-sourced Santa's helper to lure people into the bookshop today. Scarecrow from the Open Book back closet, hat from the Co-op, scarf from the Community Shop, jacket is my own. BTW, the Community Shop has a fashion show in the County Building at 7:30 tonight. Can't wait to attend, though not sure anyone will look as good as this guy out front.

Wigtown Wonderland events are going on all month with something fun planned every day! The holidays are a great time to ...
04/12/2024

Wigtown Wonderland events are going on all month with something fun planned every day! The holidays are a great time to plan a visit even if you aren't able to get in to run the bookshop for a week. So far we've enjoyed gifted storytelling, songwriting, harmonica blues playing, and just missed Santa twice - first at his place in town and then at his sled on the street. (Note in the last picture Santa's sleigh is parked at the double yellow lines which we hear is a no-no in Scotland - hope he doesn't get coal in his stocking.) And that's not even mentioning all the bookstores!
https://www.facebook.com/wigtownwonderland?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Still out touring this beautiful region with Dave, the consummate tour guide. Will be back at some point this afternoon ...
04/12/2024

Still out touring this beautiful region with Dave, the consummate tour guide. Will be back at some point this afternoon to open up the bookstore, we promise!

Open later from 1-6 pm today as we'll be visiting other bookshops and out exploring this morning with Dave. (Photo of bo...
04/12/2024

Open later from 1-6 pm today as we'll be visiting other bookshops and out exploring this morning with Dave. (Photo of boardwalk out into marsh where there is a stake memorializing the Wigtown martyrs)

First sale!!! 🥳 So excited I forgot to ask if I could take a picture of his two purchases so this virtual recreation wil...
03/12/2024

First sale!!! 🥳 So excited I forgot to ask if I could take a picture of his two purchases so this virtual recreation will have to do. Customer was into mid-20th century paperback thrillers, and you can see we still have some more in our well-stocked crime section. He gave me a mini-lesson on the genre and said one was underpriced so he paid £2 instead of £1. If I keep doubling prices like this I'm really going to make it as a bookseller.

Address

2 High Street
Newton Stewart
DG89HQ

Telephone

+441988402010

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Open Book posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Open Book:

Videos

The shop is warm--come say hi!

Hello Wigtown! I'm so excited to run The Open Book this week. Come say hi!

Wigtown is a magical place for book lovers. We are honored to have been able to experience life here in this lovely Scottish town for a few days. Thank you to all who gave us your time, took us on tours or into your homes, and gave us books, photographs, music, and stories. We will be forever grateful.

Paul English's experience of running the Open Book with mum Kathleen and interviewing some of our festival stalwarts.

Journalist Paul English shares his experience of runnning The Open Book along with his mum, Kathleen and interviews some Book Festival stalwarts to find out about the festival and bookshop beginnings.

What a brilliant first day running The Open Book on #worldteachersday. Not bad having #irvinewelsh as our first customer, the first of several authors who visited. Lots of teachers and retired teachers too, and we shared tales, happy and sad. Lots more interesting chats with some of the over 240 folk who called in. A life affirming and uplifting day.

Our last day running The Open Book was a quiet one. That gave us ample time to chat, read, and sketch at the bookshop, as well as to shop at other bookshops and stores ☺️ We have bought so many books over the past week that both our suitcases are exploding 😅 We feel so privileged to be part of this brilliant project which brings book lovers all over the world to Wigtown. We have met so many kind and interesting people here, and we are delighted to be introduced by visitors to crime fiction authors (e.g. Peter May, Josephine Tey, Dorothy L. Sayers) whom we didn’t know before. Thank you all, we are truly grateful for this magical experience ❤️ Goodbye 👋 Customers: 24 Books sold: 9

Impromptu Jam Session at The Open Book
Impromptu Jam Session at The Open Book

THANK YOU Lynne, Steve, Andy, Grace, Ian, and Joyce for a FANTASTIC evening! 🎶❤️

Shortcuts

Share