Bookseller 'gobsmacked' at award nomination

4 hours ago

Chloe HughesWest Midlands

News image — Cassie Gerard said she shed a tear at being nominated

BBC A woman with brown hair tied back is wearing glasses, a white jumper and a green cardigan. She is holding a white book called "Rebecca". Behind her are bookshelves stacked with books, and a wooden ladder leaning against them, with fairy lights nearby. — Cassie Gerard said she shed a tear at being nominated

The owner of an independent Staffordshire bookshop says she is "gobsmacked" to be nominated for an award less than six months after opening.

That Little Bookshop in Stafford is a regional finalist for Independent Bookshop of the Year 2026.

Owner Cassie Gerard said she "shed a tear" at the news, describing it as "sensational".

"It's just really special to know that out of all of the bookshops that there are in the UK we are one of 76 in the country, and just nine in the [Midlands] region, it's really special," she told the BBC.

"It's continued to be the whirlwind that it started as."

Opening in August, the shop sells books of all genres, including special editions and in December it won Best New Business at Leigh Ingham MP's Small Business Awards.

Inside a bookshop with a large window looking out onto the street. There are dark brown wood bookshelves filled with books, and fairy lights draped over them. A table in the middle of the room is stacked with books and there are brown wooden chairs next to the shelves. Two customers browse in the back of the room with their backs to the camera — The shop sells a wide variety of book genres, as well as special editions

The Midlands category of The British Book Awards, also known as the Nibbies, includes the 2025 winner of Independent Bookshop of the Year - The Heath Bookshop in Birmingham, which Gerard said was "amazing" to be alongside.

"This is just beyond wildest dreams, I could never have imagined that six months in we would've had the success that we've had," she said.

"That's down to the people that are supporting us, that's down to people who are talking about us… it's manifested into what it has because of everybody being involved in it.

"Whilst I'm responsible for opening the bookshop and stocking the bookshop, the involvement of the community of book lovers has an awful lot to answer for, because they've made it what it is."

A red brick wall of a book shop and a large forest green sign with gold writing. The writing reads "That Little Bookshop". it also has the shop's website and social media account handles on it, and at the bottom it says "established 2024". — Owner Cassie Gerard said the shop's success was down to support from the book community

Gerard said the shop was doing so well she was thinking about recruiting staff.

"My business plan needs rewriting, we need to look beyond where we are currently," she said.

"There's so many independent bookshops popping up in and around the area - that is testament to say how popular reading is, and hopefully that will continue.

"With World Book Day and the national year of reading in 2026, hopefully everything will continue to go in the right direction and we will continue to get people picking up books."

The British Book Awards will be held on 11 May at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

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