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Bury Lit Fest: Find your next five-star read with Harris & Harris Books




“Helping our lovely customers find the perfect book for themselves or for a gift just makes my heart sing. Best job ever.” Meet Kate Harris, founder of Clare’s Harris & Harris Books, official Bury Lit Fest bookseller

Harris & Harris Books, Clare
Harris & Harris Books, Clare

The story of Harris & Harris Books started with a chance encounter with William Shakespeare soon after my husband and I moved to Suffolk in December 2010. The Staffordshire figure was spotted in an antique shop in Clare, where the owner overheard my mother telling me that she would buy it for me - but that I must open my own bookshop one day. The antique dealer mentioned there might be a vacant shop soon, and there started an unexpected series of events. William has quietly watched over proceedings ever since.

The bookshop was pretty small and we eventually outgrew the space, so, after two years of planning and renovation, we finally moved five doors down the street in October 2023 to the premises we are now in. In fact, we only reopened six days before last year’s Literature Festival - you can imagine the brouhaha of planning them both at the same time!

Harris & Harris Books, Clare
Harris & Harris Books, Clare

I actually started out managing restaurants, bars and a hotel before I gave that all up to become a bookseller. That was way back in 1997 and I progressed through three bookshop chains and another independent before we moved to Suffolk and I took a chance opening my own bookshop in 2011. I’m so glad I did, as it has gone from strength to strength and I absolutely love it.

The joy of choosing books for the shop, unpacking new titles every day, chatting about books and helping our lovely customers find the perfect book for themselves or for a gift just makes my heart sing. Best job ever.

Harris & Harris Books, Clare
Harris & Harris Books, Clare

We have thousands of books for readers of all ages; a mixture of new books at the front and used books at the rear. You’ll find New & Noteworthy at the front, with Nature, Gardening and Gifts & Elsewhats. Then there’s a lovely long fiction section and children’s books and gifts in the middle and so much more towards the back, where we also have a writing desk for anyone to use – perhaps to write cards, thank you notes, shopping lists or even the start of a novel!

All H&H booksellers love reading and are always on hand to help you find your next favourite book, or perhaps a gift for someone else. I’ve just read and loved the new Jackson Brodie novel by Kate Atkinson – Death At The Sign Of The Rook. A country house murder mystery told with Atkinson’s signature wit and pace. Brilliant.

One of the reasons for moving to bigger premises was to be able to offer seated events. Our next is just after the Literature Festival, on October 23, with the wonderful printmaker and illustrator Angela Harding. We also have regularly irregular Saturday Storytime. Our next confirmed dates are September 28 and October 12 at 11am. No booking required, just turn up with your little ones and enjoy a few stories.

Harris & Harris Books, Clare
Harris & Harris Books, Clare

We also offer Bookshop Lock-Ins. These started after the lockdowns for anyone who didn’t feel ready to browse with other people. They became so popular that I’ve done them ever since. Basically a date is chosen, they turn up after we close at 5pm and I ‘lock them in’ for an hour with whomever they bring with them. We have had Lock-Ins booked for birthdays, hen parties, teachers’ parties and all sorts. The shop is their own with a bookseller on hand. With Christmas not that far away, we’ll certainly get a lot more booked in.

Bookshop Day falls right in the middle of Bury Lit Fest, so, while we will have all the books on show during the whole of the festival, Harris & Harris Books will of course be open and ready for everyone to visit and browse. Do pop in and see us: we have packed so much into the new and bigger bookshop. Plus you can’t beat that smashing bookshop smell. . . Perhaps you’ll find the perfect book to curl up with this autumn, with a cup - or glass - of something by the fire. What a picture of bliss!

Find Harris & Harris Books at High Street, Clare, visit harrisharris.co.uk and follow @harrisharrisbooks


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