Lutyens & Rubinstein Bookshop to celebrate 10th anniversary

Notting Hill indie Lutyens & Rubinstein Bookshop will celebrate its 10th anniversary this autumn. 

The London bookshop, founded in October 2009 by literary agents Sarah Lutyens and Felicity Rubinstein, will mark the milestone from 12th October 2019 to September 2020 in a year of celebrations. 

Shop manager Claire Harris, who has been in position since the shop opened, told The Bookseller she is looking forward to the anniversary. She said: "It's a big year and we've got lots planned with book groups and authors. We've had a very good summer and are now looking forward to our 10th birthday."

The Kensington Park Road shop is planning a host of events and activities for the anniversary year, including a limited-edition tote bag and a prize for the Book of the Decade voted for by customers. Events planned for September include Francesca Segal in conversation with Clemmie Hooper and Hugo Williams in conversation with Adam Phillips. In October, Casey Cep will discuss Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud and the Last Trial of Harper Lee with Helen Macdonald. A bookshop party will take place on Saturday 12th October. 

As part of the celebrations, 52 loyal customers will choose their favourite books for display throughout the year in a nod to how the shop’s original stock was chosen which saw hundreds of readers canvassed about which books they would most like to find in a bookshop. 

Harris added: “The ten years have flown by and in that time we have attracted many truly loyal customers through personal book recommendations – never assuming one book suits all.  Reading books, choosing books, talking about books and great colleagues – what better way to spend ten years of one’s life and I hope many more.”

Reflecting on ten years in bookselling, Lutyens said: “Ten years ago, the dominant bookselling model was pile ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap, and independent bookshops looked like an endangered species. We believed there was room for a different kind of experience; a beautifully designed shop with a careful selection of books sold by passionate, well-informed staff. And we’re delighted that our hunch paid off.”

The bookshop sells fiction and general non-fiction with special sections for children’s books, poetry and art books. In addition, the shop sells other ‘necessities’ including Izipizi reading glasses and an exclusive range of preserves as well as tote bags and other accessories. The shop also offers a book subscription service, six book clubs and a busy events programme.