Located on London’s vibrant Lower Clapton Road, the award-winning Pages of Hackney has been at the heart of its community since 2008. It may be small, but it’s perfectly-formed with a long-standing dedication to inclusivity and accessibility running through its veins - from the friendly, welcoming vibe, to the dazzlingly diverse range of books.

What really sets Pages apart is their commitment to championing lesser-known books they know their customers will love. The shelves here don’t groan under the weight of big bestsellers you could pick up pretty much anywhere. Rather, they’re graced with brilliant books by writers who may have slipped beneath the media radar, and by fabulous stories that (variously) give voice to the marginalised and share a broad spectrum of life experiences. All of which means Pages of Hackney is a veritable treasure trove of well-told tales and thought-provoking non-fiction, with an excellent second-hand area in the basement.

Little wonder, then, that the shop has received a stream of esteemed awards - Winner of London Independent Bookshop of the Year in 2018; Shortlisted for Independent Bookseller of the Year in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020; Winner of The Mayor of Hackney's Business Awards for Best New Business. Read on to find out about Pages’ inspiring story, along with some rather excellent reading recommendations from manager Jo, who, by the way, was Highly Commended for the Individual Bookseller of the Year Award at the 2017 British Book Awards.

Describe your shop in three words. 

Small, friendly, inclusive

When was your bookshop born? How did it come about? 

Pages was born in 2008, opened by owner Eleanor Lowenthal in an area where there were no other bookshops at a time when it felt like a bookshop was needed.

Tell us about your journey and the changes you’ve seen (and made) along the way.

We started small and tested out what would sell. We realised that we did better with books and events that reflect the community we're in. We're lucky to have a close-knit team with different strengths who have been working in the shop for the last eight years and are passionate and committed to the project.

What’s important in a great bookshop? What sets you apart and makes you special? 

To be open and friendly and to help people find the right book for them. We have limited shelf space so we choose to stock less classics and more books that represent the people of Hackney. We have second hand books in our basement which is also an events space.

What’s your all-time favourite…

-novel to recommend to adults?

Kindred by Octavia Butler

-non-fiction to recommend to adults?

The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy

-picture book recommendation?

Julian is a Mermaid Jessica Love

-children’s fiction recommendation?

Eight Pieces of Silva by Patrice Lawrence

Which books have you been recommending recently?

Assembly by Natasha Brown, Cold New Climate by Isobel Wohl and In The End It Was All About Love by Musa Okwonga.

What’s your favourite area of your bookshop?

The shop is very small but I would have to say the main table is my favourite because it's a space where I have some really great conversations with customers while recommending books.

What are you most proud of?

The events programme, in real life and in lockdown we have programmed some really exciting, radical and moving conversations that make the shop feel really alive. We now have a year's worth of events on our Instagram TV which are accessible to watch anytime for free.

Tell us a secret about books.

Books can teleport you to other times and places.

Apart from your own, which other bookshop(s) do you love spending time in?

Burley Fisher Bookshop in Haggerston and we're really looking forward to Mount Florida Books opening in Glasgow

What else would you like to share with the Love Reading community?

They can read our recommendations, check out our book lists on our website pagesofhackney.co.uk and watch all our events on our Instagram TV @pagesofhackney. We are also @pagesofhackney on Twitter.

If you enjoyed these insights into bookshop life, read more of our Bookshop of the Month features.