Booklovers launch home base

ALL manner of pre-loved paperbacks bounded off the shelves as the owners behind second-hand book sellers Book Bounce launched their new space on Saturday.

With their stockpile dotted about locations throughout town since establishing last year, co-founder Josh Dunbar said the Bridge Street-based site was a much-welcomed central hub.

“There was a little crowd out the front since we opened at 11am. From there, the shop was basically full all day. One crowd would leave and another would come in,” he said.

“It was a fantastic event. We had raffles going and a costume competition. Garrison [McErvale, co-founder] was dressed as Where’s Wally and I was dressed as Harry Potter for Book Week.

“There was a bit of a buzz around the place. We would’ve easily sold over 500 books.”

The event also saw the launch of the store’s Book Bounce Buddies mascot, a teenage girl and her shape-shifting cat, the latter of which attendees were invited to name in a draw.

In keeping with the owners’ ethos of rescuing used books from landfill, each item during the launch cost $2 with the exception of those in their special cabinet which ranged between $10 to $500.

Prior to their new space which was acquired earlier in July, the pair’s retail activities were mainly through market spaces like Clunes Booktown Festival.

Located at 7/107 Bridge Mall, the space will be open nearly every Saturday from 10am to 3pm with the potential to include Sundays.

The owners previously had to drive from place to place to collect books, and Mr Dunbar said their new space will bring much of their stock to them.

“We constantly have people saying if you don’t come get them they’re going to the tip because the op shops aren’t taking them,” he said.

“This will give people a place every Saturday to be able to come down to our shop and drop off their books here.

“One lady drove down from Melbourne and bought a book off us and had a carload of books to give us. This is giving people weekly access to us.”

Mr McErvale and Mr Dunbar next plan to establish a warehouse space for further storage and market space to potentially replace their regular monthly spot at Eureka Hall which they will meanwhile continue to maintain.