My husband and I always look forward to the weekends because it’s the only time we can escape the grind of our job. This week, we headed to Kenilworth to check out the independent book shop Kenilworth Books.
Following trusty Google Map, we drove about 30 minutes from our house towards the town of Kenilworth. We decided to find parking as soon as we arrived at the town centre, and then find the shop on foot. Although the map was showing it was nearby where we parked, we didn’t find it right away because Google Map showed us a different path. We ended up going in circles inside a small village, which we think is not the right area for a book shop. It was logical to think that a book shop should be at the centre of town, so we headed to the town square and finally found the shop in plain sight. Lesson for the day: do not always trust Google Map, use your eyes instead!
So what makes Kenilworth Books special? It’s their dreamy painting on their ceiling that would instantly attract you to the shop. Their colorful window display will definitely entice you as well.
twitter.com/KenilworthBook
This shop instantly reminded me of Warwick Books, which we visited a few weeks ago. As soon as I walked in, I gravitated to the left side of the shop: Best Sellers, Fiction, Short Stories, YA literature, Suspense/Crime/Thriller, Classic Literature, Poetry and Biography. All shelves have visible labels on top, so it is very easy to browse according to genre. Also, they have display snippets of what the book is about (kinda like the summaries you find at the back of the books). I thought that was a very nice touch and very informative too. The shop also has a dedicated shelf for signed copies, which I think is a brilliant idea as I don’t see shops that sell signed books very often.
The left side of the shop is where the till is, along with mainly the non-fiction books: History, Health & Wellness, Art & Craft, Travel, Cooking and more! I also commend them for having a separate section for local history. At the far end of the shop is the children’s section with its impressive variety of books, and of course, with toys, tables & chairs. Not only does this shop sell books, it sells mugs, greeting cards, book marks and other book-related stuff.
After having a little tour around the shop, I decided to stick to the poetry section. As most independent shops do, I love it when I find books that are not in the main stream market. I found this book called “The Analog Sea Review”, which is an off-line journal of poetry, fiction, interviews, essays, and artwork. I also love this poetry book called “Songs Of Waking” by Jonathan Simons. Though I really liked both of the books, I decided to hold back from buying it. But now I’m regretting that decision because I cannot stop thinking about those books (haha, bookworm problems!). I will probably persuade my husband to go back to this shop again just to buy them.
As this is an independent book shop, all books are new and most of the prices are based on the recommended retail price. They can also order books for you upon request. The shop works closely with the local schools & libraries and, they also facilitate and sell tickets for book events.
Indie book stores, such as Kenilworth Books, are priceless gems of the community. Like libraries, book shops act as a safe space especially for children. So better not take our indie book shops for granted, because it’s places like this that help our society thrive.
The Filipina Book Junkie 