Thursday 7 June 2012

Looking Glass Books

Today it seemed like time to investigate the much-hyped new bookshop/cafe in the Quartermile, Looking Glass Books. It's not obvious as it's in one of the newer buildings that aren't visible from Middle Meadow Walk.


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It's not a building site anymore, in case you were wondering.

If you like Fredericks and you like pretty books you'll love this place. Clean and pretty, with interesting (deliberately and, I suspect, very expensively mismatched) furniture it's quite possible to pass a few hours here in idle or business-related chat.



What it may not be as good for is getting Work done.

Being in the Quartermile development seems to make it difficult to install power points for customer use and sure enough, Looking Glass seem to have none. I will make allowances because the shop has only been there about a week but when I asked for the Wifi password nobody knew it. Update below Thankfully I was meeting people there and not expecting to do any work or I'd have been scuppered.

The place has a lovely atmosphere, everyone I saw coming and going seemed to enjoy just being there. The teas are from eteaket and while they don't have the full range at least it means that the selection they have are reliable and more than just teabags. I didn't spot where the coffee was from but it was thoroughly drinkable, if perhaps served in overly small portions (I like a long drink, serving me coffee in cups or glasses that I could drink in one big gulp will not endear you to me).



I worry that it might not get much passing trade due to being so hidden away. It's the sort of place that you want to succeed, not least because it's an independent bookshop and we need more of them. I shall be watching it eagerly.

UPDATE It has been pointed out that there are in fact sockets - I must have had none nearby when I was in - and there was no Wifi password available because it needs none. Excellent news!