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Waterstones: Bringing the Independent Bookstore Experience Nationwide
Waterstones is the last surviving bookshop chain in the UK, which is largely due to the company's commitment to have each of their stores run like a local, independent bookstore. This means that every store's management has the power to decide what books and products will best please their own customers. The retailer also actively encourages its employees to be book lovers themselves, writing hand-written recommendations beside books to help customers decide on a new book to try. This level of knowledge is immensely popular with customers who like certain genres or authors but want to branch out to something new—the staff can help advise on books they might like.
You can choose from an enormous range of literature and non-fiction at this bookstore. There are books across all kinds of genres from children's fiction to travel books, self-help literature, cookery books, historical books, language texts, and bestsellers. There are also some other gift items on sale like toys and accessories.
Despite e-readers becoming increasingly popular over the last few years, the chain is still managing to keep people interested in traditional paper books, which is evident when you consider it has over 280 branches across the UK, with more opening every year.
Like a true classic, the bookstore has a very understated logo and shopfront, opting for a simple "W" or its name in a stylish font. Shopfronts are usually black and white or black and gold, allowing for people's eyes to instead be caught by the bright colours of the latest books on offer. The shops themselves are set out similar to a library, with large bookshelves stuffed with books that are arranged alphabetically by author.
Waterstones Opening times are usually from 9 am till 5:30 pm Monday to Saturday, with hours varying from store to store on Sundays. You are best advised to check our store locator and and a location near you. This will tell you exactly when your local branch is open. The same applies for locations in shopping centres where closing times can differ.
Like most retail establishments, the shop closes on Christmas, and some locations will close on New Year's Day. Closing times will vary on the likes of Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve too. The shop tends to be open on other bank holidays, though opening times could vary depending on local regulations.
Book lovers love to hear facts, so here are some you might not know about your favourite book retailer:
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The company lets its branches have their own—often opinionated—Twitter accounts. These often go viral, including the Uxbridge store in May 2018 that accused certain men of disliking books written by women.
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Just like popular video games get midnight shop openings, branches open at midnight when highly popular books go on sale, the most famous of these being their Harry Potter parties where fans would dress up and queue for the latest release.
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The retailer often hosts book signings by various authors. These range from signings and/or readings from writers local to that store to nationwide book tours from larger authors.
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The company has its own awards scheme for authors they believe deserve recognition. Every year they name a "Book of the Year" across various categories.
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The chain claims to have made Stoner by John Williams a bestseller forty years after it was first published.
First and foremost, the bookstore is a bookshop; however, every branch across the UK has had to step up its game in order to stay relevant in a nation that's often glued to our technology.
One of its greatest assets is how independent it allows its individual establishments to be. This drive to create a personal service is what continues to bring book lovers back to the shops, looking for recommendations and advice on what they should read next. This is especially important when it's so easy to use other online retailers to buy your books from.
This service is echoed on the company's website, where the site is laid out to be simple and full of recommendations. There is also a weekly newsletter to help you find your next great read.
They don't just sell books these days though; they also have a wide range of gifts and stationery for book lovers. This includes board games, collectibles, soft toys, notebooks, adult colouring books, and crafts.
Many branches also have a café concession, allowing you to sit with a coffee and cake to enjoy your new book.
The bookstore was originally founded by a man named Tim Waterstone in 1982, and the store is named after him. Over the years, the store has had many different owners, including WHSmith and the HMV Group. It is currently owned by Elliott Advisors, a hedge fund.
Under the leadership of Managing Director James Daunt, the company scrapped the centralized decision-making and instead opted for the popular store-led decisions that have been so successful with customers.
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