Little shop offers a lot more than books

THAT Little Bookshop is Wayne Compton’s TARDIS; it looks small on the outside, but it’s bigger once you step in.

Previously a pop-up, he took over the second-hand book shopfront three years ago.

“My son, who was seven, and I had been planning to take some books to Clunes Booktown and sell them. He’s fanatical about books,” he said.

“We walked in here, and the man said he was going to shut it down, so I said, I’ll buy it from you.”

When people come into the shop, on the corner of Doveton and Howitt streets, Mr Compton hopes they have fun.

“I want them to enjoy it, touch and feel, pick books up and put them back in the wrong spot and not worry about it.

“I really want kids coming in, because I think it’s so important that they’re reading, and I really enjoy having them run riot in here,” he said.

“It’s a small shop, but it’s jam-packed with the majority of categories you would want to buy. I don’t do much in the way of textbooks, but there is something for everyone, and the prices are affordable to encourage more people to read.”

Mr Compton loves the lifestyle he’s been able to create for himself with the support of That Little Bookshop, having managed supermarkets and department stores throughout his earlier career.

“I get a lot more time with my kids, a 10-year-old and six-year-old, and I enjoy my work much more.

“I’ve got a lot of regulars and sell to buyers all over the place; Queensland, Tassie, South Australia, and Melbourne, and I pride myself on the customer service side of things,” he said.

“Quite a few people just come in and have a chat and never buy a book, and that’s great as well, because I love to talk. It’s turning into a little community hub where people pop in.”

Over the last few years, Mr Compton has noticed lots of young people, between 20 and 30 years old, visiting the shop and enjoying the experience of physical books, rather than reading on a screen.

“I think the idea of kindle and digital ruining books was very wrong.

“There’s a big resurgence of people going back to books, and the more we can encourage that, the better, especially for kids,” he said.

“There’s no such thing as a bad book.”

Stock is sourced from deceased estates and auctions. If customers bring in some second-hand books, they will receive a discount on their next purchase.

That Little Bookshop is open Thursday to Sunday. Visit facebook.com/TLBookshop for more information. The page is updated most days.