Ahead of Love Your Bookshop Day on October 12, the team at Harry Hartog are reflecting on what has been a huge first year in Penrith, and encouraging everyone to get involved in the festivities.
Harry Hartog opened their biggest store yet in Penrith last May, in the midst of what was a bookshop drought in the area.
According to manager Peri MacDonald, the store has not only successfully brought life to that side of High Street, but also provided a hub for local book lovers.
“The popularity when we first started was incredible, and we’ve just created a really great community of repeat customers,” she said.
According to MacDonald, it’s gotten to the point where people are coming in moreso for the conversation, rather than the books themselves.
“We have a huge romantasy community here, but then also a really lovely literary fiction community as well,” she said.
“But, people love the connection more than anything. They come in for the chat, which we love. We’re very big chatters!”
Love Your Bookshop Day, held this year on October 12, is a celebration of local bookshops, and the great impact they have on the communities that surround them.
To celebrate, Harry Hartog Penrith is getting involved in a few special initiatives with the help of Penguin Books Australia, which will see readers who pick up two Penguin books receive their own Personal Penguin, as well as a few of their own.
“We’re going to have a bundle draw. For the week when Love Your Bookshop Day is being held, any customers that come in will go in the draw to win one of three bundles,” MacDonald said.
“That’s how we’re giving back, and showing that we love our community as well.”
They’re also going to be reflecting on the year that was via their social media platforms.
“We’re going to showcase it on our Instagram, post a lot of our favourite author visits, and hopefully the community celebrates with us!” she said.
MacDonald said she’s hoping to see the local community come out in strides for the day.
“We’re hoping it’s going to bananas,” she said.
“We thrive under that kind of popularity, and we’re hoping that everyone wants to celebrate us as much as we celebrate them.”
But, in general, she’s encouraging everyone to give reading a chance – especially little ones.
“On the weekend, we’ve got a children’s author coming through who’s going to do an interactive workshop with them,” she said.
“Getting more early investment in young readers will be really good. We very much encourage our local kids to come through, our kids section is very vibrant!”
Cassidy Pearce
Cassidy Pearce is a news and entertainment journalist with The Western Weekender. A graduate of the University of Technology Sydney, she has previously worked with Good Morning Macarthur and joined the Weekender in 2022.