We love finding a hidden gem of a bookshop, and Milton Books is a brand new, online shop that we couldn’t help but fall in love with. We spoke to Jessica, book blogger and founder of Milton Books, about her new business.
1. What inspired you to create Milton Books?
“I have always dreamt of opening a bookstore on my local high street but with everything that has happened this year, it started to seem unlikely that I would ever get the chance. So when furlough struck and I was left with all this free time, I began to look into creating an online bookstore that would cater to everyone’s secondhand book needs.”
2. As a secondhand bookshop, how do you think secondhand books impact the reading culture of the UK?
“I have seen that there is a real push at the minute to shop local and to shop secondhand. People are beginning to see the disastrous effects that big shopping giants are having on the small, local businesses of the UK and luckily, many seem to want to do all they can to help those independent stores, especially after lockdown. I think readers are also beginning to look for secondhand books in charity shops and independent bookstores because they tend to be cheaper and hold so much more character. Of course, some would argue that there is nothing better than a brand new book, but it is amazing what you can find down at your local charity shop and I believe that preloved books hold a huge amount of history and stories within their pages.”
3. We love the idea of a ‘Blind Date with a Book’ - can you tell readers a bit more about this?
“Yes of course! At the moment, we are offering what we call a ‘Blind Date with a Book’ which is a book based on your specified genre that comes securely and lovingly hand-wrapped so you don’t know what book you’re getting until it arrives on your doorstep. Each purchase includes a brief synopsis of the book and if you are buying one as a gift, we will hand write your personalised gift message for you. The genres we offer include: historical fiction, mystery/thriller, fantasy/YA, memoir/biography, romance, contemporary fiction and we have hundreds of pristine pre-loved books just waiting to go to a new home.”
4. Your products use recyclable packaging - is this something that you’re particularly passionate about?
“Yes, Milton Books is hugely dedicated to making sure our products are sustainable and Earth-friendly. That is why we use packaging that has been made from recycled goods that can once again be recycled when you have unwrapped your book! We only have this one world to live on and it is about time we started doing our bit to help save and look after it.”
5. You’re also a book blogger and bookstagrammer, do you think this has impacted the way that you run Milton Books?
“I blog over at www.stuckinthebook.com which I re-established once I was put on furlough in March. Blogging/bookstagramming makes me so happy and is a great way to find out what is happening in the world of books. Being a blogger definitely helps me to run Milton Books because it is such a great community and everyone is always so eager to share feedback, recommendations, advice and support, so I can always trust that my book friends will have my back.”
6. What do you hope for the future of Milton Books?
“The BIG dream is to eventually open a physical store here in Manchester but that is definitely in the distant future. I guess all we hope for is that Milton Books becomes people’s go-to choice for when they want to buy secondhand, as the quality of books we offer is second-to-none and our friendly service makes it a better and more personalised way to shop for books. We have lots of exciting products hitting our Etsy shelves over the next coming weeks and months, as well as a special collection coming just in time for Christmas!”
“We hope that you will consider our little bookstore when you are looking for your next read or perhaps even for that special gift for a friend/relative. We are always open for a chat, so get in touch and we will work our very hardest to ensure your needs are met!”
Follow Jessica:
Instagram - @stuckinthebook
Twitter - @StuckInTheBook1
Blog - www.stuckinthebook.com
Follow Milton Books:
Instagram - @milton_books
Twitter - @miltonbooks
Etsy Shop - www.etsy.com/shop/miltonbooks/
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