Making every corner count

Good things come in small packages, and never has this been more apparent than in this week's bookshop.

Book Corner in Saltburn-by-the-Sea was the final destination on day one of my Northern Bookshop Adventure and it is tiny.

It's so small I possibly have more bookcases in my own living room, but none of my books are for sale (and you probably wouldn't want to buy most of them if they were). Book Corner may not have a lot of stock but what there is is excellently displayed and very well selected. There's also room for bags of personality and a very friendly welcome.

My visit coincided with Shakespeare's birthday, so I had the option to try on period costume and take part in activities – which was a pretty impressive offering given the small floor space available – but instead I opted to enjoy the bookshop itself. I also made friends with the bookseller, who obviously cares a great deal for her work and knows a great deal about books, meaning we had a good chat about all she's achieved over the past few years. Some of those achievements are visible within the bookshop itself, including a selection of recommendations from regular customers and good community support, but the rest are simply evidenced in the success of the bookshop.

For instance, the diminutive size of Book Corner obviously doesn't put customers off. During my visit a cute puppy popped in for a browse with her human family, proving the bookshop can comfortably hold a good number of people if you're willing to be polite and alternate which shelves you look at. This requirement isn't a problem because every corner of the bookshop is worth appreciating. I certainly had no trouble finding a purchase (Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller) and the other customers looked just as happy as me.

Found opposite the railway station, Book Corner is an easy place to visit if you're taking a trip to Saltburn-by-the-Sea and definitely worth a few minutes of your time on the way to the blustery seafront. Which is where I headed next, after a day dedicated to book-buying it was only right I reward myself with an ice cream.


Book Corner
Unit 1, The Regency Buildings,
Station Square, Saltburn-by-the-Sea,
North Yorkshire, TS12 1AG
Tel: 01287 348010
@BookCornerShop