High street boost: The Real Indie Bookshop will join Harrogate's impressive literary scene soon
"I love the smell of paper and picking up a paper or a book, I do not like reading from a Kindle”
Proof that Harrogate punches well above its weight in the arts comes in the opening of a new independent book shop which will seek to “do something slightly different”.
The Real Indie Bookshop is the brainchild of Christina Gabbitas, an award-winning children’s author and businesswoman with a passion for the written word on paper, not on Kindle.
"I am doing something slightly different,” she said.
”The shop will have a strong focus on indie publishers, writers, poets and illustrators.
“I see the quality of the work that comes through from these small independent publishers. I want to shine a spotlight on them.
“We will have talks, events and there will be newspapers in the shop and reading tables.
“It’s about people coming together.”
When The Real Indie Bookshop opens on Thursday, November 12 at 4 Parliament Street it will be joining a healthy literary scene in Harrogate.
As well as annual events such as Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival, the town also boasts a wide range of book shops.
The Real Indie Bookshop will be joining a list which includes Imagined Things Bookshop at 21 Montpellier Parade, John Atkinson Fine & Rare Books at 5 Royal Parade and Books For All Second-hand Book Shop at 23A Commercial Street, not to forget Waterstones at 15 James Street.
A Harrogate resident after previously living in Skipton, Christina Gabbitas has been in publishing for 15 years and is the founder of the Children's Literature Festival charity.
This inspirational figure has won awards and accolades for her books such as Triangular Trev and the Shape Idols, Share Some Secrets and Welcome To The World Of Felicity Fly.
In 2016 she received the Yorkshire Women of Achievement award in education for encouraging and making an impact educating children through her work.
Christina said: “I’m not having an online bookstore because no one can compete with Amazon.
"I love the smell of paper and picking up a book or newspaper.
"I do not like reading from a Kindle. “
Customers at the The Real Indie Bookshop will be able to browse books, comics, graphic novels and newspapers while enjoying a coffee in the shop’s seated areas.
The new shop will stock major titles and bestsellers, as well as independent publications.
There will be a dedicated music section featuring biographies and books about musicians, bands and the wider music industry, as well as a small selection of vinyl records.
Coffee will be available to order for take away, while gifts and cards will also be available.