Welcome to Indie Oxford Stories, our series celebrating the incredible people behind Oxford’s independent businesses.
These are the makers, bakers, creatives, and community builders who bring so much heart to the city. Each story shares a personal account of what inspired them to start, what keeps them going, and how you can support the local businesses that make life in Oxford so special.
Explore more features in the full Indie Oxford Stories collection, browse our Directory of Independent Businesses, or find your nearest indie on our Interactive Map.
How would you describe your business in a sentence?
What first inspired you to start your business – was there a lightbulb moment?
After losing my Dad to pancreatic cancer, I realised that life is too short to do a job I didn’t love, so I resigned, put everything in storage and went travelling for a year. During my trip, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I genuinely enjoy doing and kept coming back to people, community and doing something that actually matters. I’ve always been a bookworm, so the idea of running a bookshop kept coming up, but I never actually believed it was possible. Then I had a random conversation with a Scottish couple who I met in Southern Chile. They told me about a bookshop that had recently opened in their hometown that was doing brilliantly. From then on, I sought out bookshops in every country I went to, to get inspiration for what I wanted to do when I came home.
How did you actually get started?
Having no previous retail experience, I decided that was the priority when I arrived back in the UK. I managed to get part-time jobs in Waterstones and Cotswold Outdoor, and realised very quickly that retail worked for me. After a few months, I was offered a contract in my old industry (finance). I was worried about going back as I didn’t want to find myself in the same position I’d been in before going travelling, but I knew it was the best way to build up some capital, so I took the job. I kept working at Waterstones over the weekend to remind me not to get caught up in the corporate world.
Initially, I was going to set up on my own, but then discovered a gorgeous bookshop in the Cotswolds that was for sale. Unfortunately, that one didn’t work, but I found the wonderful Mostly Books instead, which, it turns out, was a much better fit for me at the time. After having my offer accepted, the previous owners and I agreed on a gradual handover, where I initially worked one day a week, increasing it gradually over six months until I took over and they stepped away. This was amazing as I learnt on the job and got to know the team, the customers, and all the systems and processes before I was actually in charge. We had an event during Independent Bookshop Week 2017 to mark the official handover, and the rest is history!
What felt most daunting about starting out, and how did you overcome it?
Getting to grips with a whole new industry that I had absolutely no experience working in! I was really lucky that people were so willing to help, and made sure I said yes to every opportunity that came my way. I attended trade shows and met publishers, sales reps and other booksellers. The most useful thing I did was to spend days shadowing other booksellers in their shops. Seeing people work in their own environment allowed me to ask them questions about things they did without thinking, and I took something away from every one of those days. It’s definitely the one thing I would recommend to people starting out in a new industry.
What has been your biggest challenge so far?
The COVID pandemic was really hard. By that point, I’d had my business for a couple of years and really felt like I had put my stamp on it. When the pandemic came along, it looked like there was a real possibility I might lose everything. However, I worked with a skeleton team to keep the shop running, and the community really rallied around us. It was really tough, but we made it through, and I learned so much about myself, resilience and what the business needed, all of which I used once we came out the other side.
What has been your proudest moment?
In June this year, we celebrated 20 years of Mostly Books, and we had a massive celebration with authors, giveaways and a general party atmosphere in the shop. We were inundated with customers all day, and every member of the team came into the shop, even those who weren’t working. It reminded me what an amazing community exists around the business and why we do what we do.
What is the biggest lesson you have learnt about running a business?
I have had to develop a really thick skin, as everyone has an opinion on how you should be doing things, and a lot of people will tell you that what you’re doing is wrong. Ultimately, if it’s your business, you get the final say. I think it’s important to listen to others, but if your gut says do it, then try to make it happen. Only you know what’s best, and you can make it happen.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting out, what would it be?
“I would say learn from others. In my experience, people are always willing to have a coffee and a chat, and you never know what you’ll take away from those conversations. You can’t be expected to know everything straight away, so tap into that network and use it to build your knowledge.”
What’s next for you and the business?
How can people support you right now?
Come and visit! Pop into our shop in Abingdon and, hopefully, you’ll see something you like. As our name suggests, we sell books, but we also sell stationery, greeting cards and a selection of gifts. It’s a great one-stop shop and a wonderful haven for browsing.
If you’re unable to make it to the shop itself, we have an online shop (and also sell books through Bookshop.org, which is a fantastic online platform designed to support independent bookshops).
What is your favourite thing about running a business in Oxfordshire?
The amazing community of business owners – it’s fantastic to be part of it!
Who in the Independent Oxford community inspires you?
Julia from Happy Cakes is a legend – her cakes are out of this world!
What does being part of the Independent Oxford community mean to you?
Knowing that you are part of something like Indie Oxford is amazing – I have met some fantastic people through the community and really appreciate everything that the network does for businesses like mine.
What’s a fun fact about you that people might not know?
I once played the piano on the stage of the Sydney Opera House.
Tea or coffee? Tea 🫖
Early bird or night owl? Early bird 🐥
Book or film? Book 📖
