Forum Bookshop
Meet Helen Stanton the owner of independent bookseller Forum Books in Corbridge.
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There has been a Forum Books in the village for 50 years, but I took over 10 years ago following a career in publishing.It was always my dream to own a bookshop and when the opportunity to buy the business came up I jumped at the chance.
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Our vision is “There’s nothing quite like a book and nothing like a real bookshop” and I really feel that is what we have created, an inspiring space for people to browse and enjoy choosing books. We moved into our current building, which is a fabulous former chapel, 3 years ago and we have also opened a new shop in Whitley Bay and Alnwick.
How has your business evolved?
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When we first started developing our online offer, we weren’t sure how it would be received, but it has grown steadily. Not only have our regular customers embraced it, but we’ve also reached a much wider audience and now have readers ordering from all over the country.
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Of course, nothing replaces face-to-face conversations in the shop — talking about books, sharing recommendations and getting to know our customers. But we’ve worked hard to maintain those personal connections in new ways, whether through our growing online presence or by hosting more virtual events. These events have been supported both locally and nationally, and they are something we want to continue alongside traditional in-shop events.
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Many of our older customers, who prefer not to shop online, still write to us with lists of books they’d like to purchase. Their support has been truly heart-warming and has shown us that, for many people, we are more than just a shop.
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Our vision is “There’s nothing quite like a book and nothing like a real bookshop” and I really feel that is what we have created, an inspiring space for people to browse and enjoy choosing books.
Why should people Shop Local?
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Coronavirus has shown people the importance and the connection between shopping local and helping to support the local area.
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Independent businesses work really hard because they genuinely love what they do. The customer service that we can offer and the way we run our businesses is done with a lot of heart and often we are supporting local charities and schools as part of what we do.