The other week I took you on a tour of my favourite second-hand bookstore in Ballarat so for today’s blog post I’ll take you to my favourite spot to buy books new: Collins on Lydiard. Collins are a franchise with independently owned stores and this local one on Lydiard Street is very well known by Ballafornians, so don’t think for a second I’m letting you in on some sort of secret spot.
The shop understands that book lovers do love an aesthetic, probably because we’re so used to painting beautiful scenes in our minds as we read, and any sort of book store that makes you feel like you’re standing on the portal to one of the magical worlds brought to life on a page will be a hit. The store is full of wood coloured floor to ceiling shelves that are crammed not just with books but with bookish accessories, like a delightfully tempting range of book ends. I had to remind myself that I, a passionate lover of bikes, did not need to impulse buy a bicycle book end set on this visit.
You’ll also find other gorgeous items like globes, maps, and stationery sets and endless styles of stylish hardcover reprints of classics. There is a kid’s section where they often have my friend Renee come in and do book readings for kids. They have a good range of what I’m going to assume is everything because everything I’ve ever looked for in there I have found a good range. The staff in there are top notch as well: friendly, knowledgeable and easily interested in whatever it is book you’re trying to find.
On this weekend I picked up an Austen special edition hardcover I didn’t yet own of Sense and Sensibility as well as two books on history and letters of Austen for a play I’m writing and I’m so glad I got them. I’ve already spent some time reading and researching for the piece and turns out Jane Austen is hilarious and witty in her letters, just like her books.
Instead of me saying any more about this wonderful bookshop, how about you just visit?
Outfit details. I guess I should say something about that:
Top: ASOS, but I regret it for its poor quality
Skirt: thrifted
Boots: ASOS and they are worn through on the soles
Hat: Sovereign Hill. Yes, that’s an odd answer.
Scarf: borrowed from Goldfields Girl
Pics with my number one Goldfields Girl.
