About Us
The West Port is Edinburgh’s Soho, a heady mix of booze, bosoms, bespoke tailoring and BOOKS. Yes, let’s dwell on that word: books.
Edinburgh’s Book Quarter
Six independent bookshops, one bookbinder; the West Port boasts a concentration of bookshops that is unparalleled in most British cities. Each bookshop has its own atmosphere and ethos. All are home to the ineffable workings of serendipity.
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The other shops
Home to rum clubs, tea apologists and vintage clothing vendors, the West Port is a lively, independent area in Edinburgh that has rather more to it than its obvious, um, ‘assets’. If you fancy a decent pint you could do worse than the Blue Blazer, our lovely local. If you’d like a nice brew then the nearby Tea Tree Café is heartily recommended. If you’d like to get down with the cool kids pop along to Under the Stairs, a shabby chic basement café and bar the other side of the Grassmarket.
Staff
William Lytle, the manager, is married to Anne and has a wee boy called Calum. William is originally from Ulster and almost has a beard.
Hannah Adcock is a bookish jack-of-all-trades. She has worked in bookshops in Greece and Paris and writes for money when she gets the chance (hannahadcock.co.uk).
Orlene McIlfatrick is doing a PhD. She is our book repairer in residence and is a dab hand at origami. She is from Ulster.
Doreen Dallas survived the previous regime and continues to be popular with the customers.
Kay Bohan is our occasional cover-girl who can’t seem to think of anything better to do with her time off than put out books and list at the speed of light.
Wildlife
Clarence: his story
Clarence, our water buffalo, has kept a beady eye over the bookshop for many a long year.
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Graham: his story
Graham the grouse was given to William by staff at Armchair Books when he left to set up his own bookshop.
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West Port Book Festival
The West Port Book Festival was set up in 2008 by Hannah Adcock and Peggy Hughes to celebrate the profusion of pages in Edinburgh’s book quarter. The festival plays out over 11 wonderful West Port venues, ranging from singular second-hand bookshops to crisp art spaces and whisky-scented pubs.
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Twitter Feed
- Begins at 12pm on Friday at the Assembly Rooms. http://www.edinburghbookfair.co.uk/ http://fb.me/6hJVaUd
- can you feel the buzz? It's the antiquarian book fair calling to you. It's free to get in, but I can't promise... http://fb.me/KueKcdqjg
- Why did the mouse die in the Scottish Room? It was found next to Society of Antiquaries volumes. Bored to death.... ?
- They seek him here, they seek him there...blasted Orwell. No consideration. Could be anywhere - in Spain, down a mine etc etc. Not on shelf
- Just found a deid mouse in the Scottish Room. Puir Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie. An ex-mouse.
Recent blog entries
- In the beginning...
It has gone out of fashion in these post-modern times, but stories used to begin with a beginning, progress to a middle and conclude with an ending. Open-minded as I am, I have never minded a slight twist in the…
- Book Inscriptions # 1
You find all sorts of inscriptions in books, usually on the front endpaper, from the plain name and address to pledges of undying love. I came across one today at the front of a copy of ‘Grammont’s memoirs of the…
- A Scotch Carol
You find all sorts of interesting things stuck inside books: letters, tickets, obituaries, even money.
Today I found a Carol – a Scotch (or Scots) Carol in fact which I will now commit to cyberspace. It was typed on a small… - Move over skinny dog
Some customers are just funny. Funny peculiar I mean, not Funny ha-ha, though we have our fair share of those too.
One peculiar thing that these funny customers do is to go straight to a section where somebody else is already… - Dirty rotten thieves.
I don’t think we have a huge problem with theft but then again, I just don’t know. There are eight fairly sizeable rooms in the shop with thousands of books in each of them and although I try, it’s impossible…