Llyfrau Ystwyth Books

Llyfrau Ystwyth Books is an independent bookshop in Aberystwyth, Wales, described on its own website as one of Wales' best-known shops for new and second-hand books. It was established in Aberystwyth in 1977 by Terry and Halcyon Hinde and is now owned by Martin Ashby. The shop occupies a multi-room premises where the ground-floor larger room holds new English and Welsh books, while the rest of the shop offers a second-hand selection across many subjects. Two rooms of Welsh-language books are kept in storage on the top floor and can be browsed on request. The stock also includes Irish, Breton and Cornish texts, and general paperback fiction is displayed on the stairs. A particular specialisation is natural history, the environment and some earth sciences, housed in a room at the rear of the shop. The second-hand books, which also include new and out-of-print titles, cover a very wide range of subjects with special emphasis on Welsh literature, language and history, poetry in many languages, wildlife and conservation, and art and architecture. The current owner, Martin Ashby, has expanded the stock and rearranged some areas. The shop is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm and closed on Sundays. In addition to its physical premises, Llyfrau Ystwyth Books sells online through AbeBooks and Biblio under the name Ystwyth Books, and customers can support the shop by shopping on Hive.co.uk and selecting Ystwyth Books at checkout. The business is a private, independent retailer rather than part of a chain or listed company.

Llyfrau Ystwyth Books was established in Aberystwyth in 1977 by Terry and Halcyon Hinde. From its founding it built a reputation as one of Wales' best-known shops for new and second-hand books. The business remained under the Hinde family's ownership until it was later acquired by Martin Ashby, who is the current owner. Under Ashby's ownership the shop has expanded its stock and rearranged some areas of the premises. The shop has long maintained a special emphasis on Welsh literature, language and history, alongside poetry in many languages, wildlife and conservation, and art and architecture. It also stocks Irish, Breton and Cornish texts, reflecting a broader Celtic-language interest. A particular specialisation in natural history, the environment and some earth sciences is housed in a room at the rear of the shop. In the digital era the bookshop extended its reach beyond its physical premises by listing stock online through AbeBooks and Biblio under the name Ystwyth Books, and by participating in the Hive.co.uk online shopping platform, where customers can select Ystwyth Books at checkout to support the shop. The business remains an independent, privately owned bookshop operating from its Aberystwyth premises, open Monday to Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm and closed on Sundays.

• 1977

  Llyfrau Ystwyth Books is established in Aberystwyth by Terry and Halcyon Hinde.

• Martin Ashby becomes owner of the bookshop.

• Under Martin Ashby, the stock is expanded and some areas of the shop are rearranged.

• The shop begins selling online via AbeBooks and Biblio under the name Ystwyth Books.

Independent, community-oriented bookshop specialising in new, second-hand and out-of-print books, with a distinctive Welsh-language and natural-history identity.

• New books

  New English and Welsh books are stocked in the larger ground-floor room.

• Second-hand books

  A wide-ranging second-hand selection covering many subjects.

• Out-of-print books

  Out-of-print titles are available alongside new and second-hand stock.

• Academic books

  Academic books are among the categories offered.

• Welsh-language literature

  A special emphasis on Welsh literature, language and history, with two rooms of Welsh books in storage on the top floor.

• Natural history, environment and earth sciences

  A particular specialisation housed in a room at the rear of the shop.

• Poetry

  Poetry in many languages is a special emphasis of the stock.

• Art and architecture books

  Art and architecture are among the special emphasis areas.

• Celtic-language texts

  Irish, Breton and Cornish texts are also available.

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2. 2About - Llyfrau Ystwyth Books - Aberystwyth Bookshopystwythbooks.com
3. 3Llyfrau Ystwyth Books - Wikidatawikidata.org