By Ashley Allard
With soft vinyl on constant rotation, I am sure you have come across the cosy nook of literature called Stellenbosch Books. Usually open until 20:00 – except for Fridays and Saturdays, when they close at 21:00 – the two-year-old independent book store caters to the local interest, spotlighting resident and international authors. If they don’t have what you’re looking for, they will find a way to get it to you.
Sarah Emery, the figurehead of the bookstore, says that Stellenbosch Books was born quite organically. Ramon Corie owns the Lebanese restaurant Man’ouche next door and planned to extend it when Exclusive Books closed down during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the storefront has been a bookstore since 1959, so Corie decided to maintain this legacy – creating Stellenbosch Books.
Stellenbosch Books is not your typical bookstore, priding itself on personality and individuality. Emery says that there is a movement back to the ‘mom-and-pop’ stores that prefer to “operate with intention”. Stellenbosch Books wants customers to “feel very welcome”, and for the store to embody a sense of home – coffee can be brought from next door, and you can sit on the plush sofas, getting a glimpse of Corie and Emery’s fantastic taste in literature while being introduced to local authors too. Even dogs are allowed to browse the lower shelves.
The store prioritises local interests. Emery notes that there are “a lot of smart, free-thinkers in this conservative town,” which, in light of recent events, is relieving to hear. The most frequented literary genres, Emery explains, are philosophy, natural history, the classics, and psychology. Stellenbosch is infamous for its conservative background. However, the town is witnessing a move forward, adopting a more liberal sentiment, even if it is only slowly making its way into the light. Stellenbosch Books is sustaining this new wave.
Stellenbosch Books has developed a close relationship with multiple Stellenbosch authors, the most prolific being Deon Meyer. He often, upon request, signs some of his works for customers at the bookstore. Community has played a crucial role on this stretch of Andringa Street, with everyone lending a hand when possible. Recently, the store also hosted a book launch for Johannes de Villiers, who owned a yoga studio across the road, which unfortunately had to close due to COVID-19.
Emery ensures that all her employees are readers and share her love for literature. Sarah Emery, herself, adores Kafka on the Shore by Murakami, Brave New World by Huxley, The Buried Giant by Ishiguro, and works by Jonathan Franzen. The latter manages to make a page-turning spectacle of the mundane, which she adores. Emery says she will never be a fan of James Patterson – well, his ghost-writers anyway – nor does she find any joy in stocking the air fryer cookbooks for which she has been getting multiple custom orders. However, she says she is delighted at this sudden plot twist in her life that landed her behind the counter of Stellenbosch Books.
If you’re looking for a momentary break from reality and need to complete your 2022 GoodReads Reading Challenge, Stellenbosch Books is definitely the spot to visit. And bring your dog; everyone at Stellenbosch Books would love to say hi to them.
