Bert's Books

Bert's Books opened online in 2019 and added a physical shop on Godwin Court in Old Town in 2022, run by Alex Call, who goes by the family nickname Bert and spent sixteen years working in book retail before starting out on his own. The shop stocks new fiction and non-fiction, with a strong events programme that has brought authors in for signings and talks. A subscription service sends out a curated bundle of books each month, wrapped and tied with ribbon rather than shrink-wrapped, based on a reader's stated preferences. Staff will track down and order in specific titles that aren't held in stock, and the till area doubles as a small stage for readings during evening events. The shop trades seven days a week alongside its online store.