Clapham Books

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by Bryony Harrison (subscribe)

Freelance writer and poet from London; if you would like to read my poetry, please check out my book, 'Poems on the Page', available from goo.gl/Ta4oAX.

Published April 10th 2014

A Hive of Handpicked Literature

Clapham Books

There are a few things that makes Clapham Books different from your average high street bookshop:

1. It's Independent - When you step inside an independent bookshop, you'll immediately notice the difference from the big chain stores. Gone are the big promotional banners and impersonal furnishings. Here you have a cosy cave of quirky features, like gnomes on the shelves, ravens peering down at you, and cardboard cutouts of your favourite characters.

2. Handpicked Books - While it may not have the range of a chain store, Clapham Books has the personal touch. Each book is handpicked by the people who run the business. This means you will get a different kind of selection from what you usually expect to find. For example, in the media section, I discovered a beautifully bound suede book, full of pictures of African animals. These were high gloss photos, but rather sepia photocopies on aged paper. It looked stunning.

3. Special Events - Clapham Books organise free readings for children. On Thursdays at 11am, it is pre-school Storytime, and on Saturdays at 11.30am, it is Story Hour for 5s and over.

4. The Hive - Clapham Books is part of The Hive, a network where online and high street shopping collide. We all love the convenience of buying online, but at the same time we mourn the loss of high street shops. When you buy from The Hive, a percentage of every sale goes towards participating independent book shops. You can even get them delivered to your local store for free, and pick them up.

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5. Framing - Down in the basement, Clapham Books has a picture framing service run by Pond Gallery. Open Wednesday to Sunday, you can get ready-made or made-to-measure frames. They even do made to measure mirrors. Pond gallery use conservation and acid free materials, and make traditional, contemporary, and bespoke frames.

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Formerly on Clapham High Street, Clapham Books has now moved to The Pavement by Clapham Common. It is well worth a visit, as you might just find something unexpected. I would particularly recommend it to those who like cooking and crafts, as they have some interesting books for various cuisines, lifestyle diets, and knitting guides.

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