The Open Book in Wigtown, Scotland, offers visitors the unique chance to experience life as a bookseller. Guests stay in an apartment above the shop for one or two weeks and volunteer to run the bookstore, managing displays, opening hours, and even organising events such as author talks, music evenings or tea parties.
Co-founder Jessica Fox created the project after leaving her career as a NASA filmmaker in Los Angeles to pursue a quieter life among books in Wigtown. She wanted to give others the opportunity to explore the dream of owning a bookshop without making a permanent life change.
Since opening in 2014, The Open Book has become an international success, with bookings filled up to two years in advance. According to Fox, the experience appeals not only because of the romantic idea of running a bookstore, but also because it fosters genuine, face-to-face connections within the local community.
Wigtown, a coastal village of around 1,000 residents in southwest Scotland, was named Scotland’s National Book Town in 1998. Together with the annual Wigtown Book Festival, which attracts thousands of visitors and contributes millions to the local economy, books have transformed the once-declining village into a thriving cultural destination. Local booksellers credit literature and the strong sense of community with reviving Wigtown and making it a remarkable success story.
https://www.dw.com/en/a-book-lovers-dream-holiday-in-scotland/a-76884546
