Little Toller parts ways with Dorset bookshop to focus on publishing

Little Toller Books is handing ownership of its Dorset bookshop to an employee, Nick Robins, in order to focus on its publishing business.  

Robins, who has regularly worked in the shop since it opened in November 2020, is poised to take over in mid-June, when the shop will start trading under the name Beaminster Books. The ownership of Little Toller’s publishing business is unaffected.

Gracie Cooper, co-owner of Little Toller Books, said: “We’ve had such a happy time running the bookshop. We opened two days before the second Covid lockdown but have always been amazed at the support of the community here. Having enjoyed our experience enormously and learnt a great deal about the business of running a bookshop, we now feel it’s time to return to focusing solely on publishing.  

“Our office, which is currently above the bookshop, will move to a new location, which is nearing completion. We’re delighted that our great friend Nick will be running the shop. He’ll do a terrific job, keeping the bookshop at the heart of the community.”  

She added: “We’d like to thank all our customers, and the many publishers, writers, illustrators and readers who have supported us. Our respect for booksellers knows no bounds – we learnt more about the business in these few years than in the 15 years of publishing before and we’ll miss the bookshop enormously. Who knows, in time, we may return to the shop floor.”  

Robins said: “I’m very happy to take on the mantle of bookselling in Beaminster. When Little Toller decided it was time to move premises this year, everyone agreed it would have been a great shame to let the town’s small but perfectly formed bookshop go.

“I hope visitors to Beaminster Books will find the same great range of nature titles, contemporary fiction and children’s books currently offered by Little Toller, along with – in due course – a carefully curated selection of non-fiction and literature old and new, growing in depth and range as space becomes available.”  

Robins, who lives in Beaminster, worked for Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre for more than 25 years, including a role as head of publications. He has also written books on Shakespeare’s London, John Donne and Robert Burton, and is the co-editor of the Oxford Guide to Literary Britain and Ireland (Oxford University Press). 

Little Toller recently ran a successful crowdfunding campaign which raised more than £6,000 in 28 days to publish the nature anthology, The Clearing.