Brunswick Bound

Susie and Rob are a husband-and-wife team who opened Brunswick Bound in 2007. They had lived in Brunswick for a long time, loving the feeling of community there, and it didn’t make sense to them that the iconic suburb didn’t have a bookstore.

Opening a bookstore had always been a pipedream for this couple, and a great opportunity appeared at the right time when a charming property came up for grabs in a prime location, close to where people go about their day-to-day shopping.

'It was Rob and I every day for the first ten years, and we’ve built up to a team of ten – they’ve each got great passion and book knowledge. We’re very fortunate.'

Brunswick is rich in authors and musicians and lots of very creative people, and their new space was a perfect fit for author events, growing to include poetry events, book clubs and more.

These events will continue growing as people want to reconnect in the literary world, and this key ingredient (connection) is what makes this small business a literary gem.

Rob and Susie’s connection to the Brunswick community is so important.

To ensure they maintained this community link during lockdown, they offered free delivery service, and it took the whole family (including their three sons) to organise this part of the business.

‘It was literally our sons taking books to people and us. We were there to provide reading material, puzzles and entertainment for the local kids,’ Susie says.

Rob and Susie pivoted online during lockdown, running their book club and author events online.

Customers also supported each other through the ‘Pay it forward’ program, which was a lovely gift to offer each other, and it was a joy seeing the pleasure it brought to people who couldn’t afford the books they desired.

‘When customers come in, we’re able to help them out with reading ideas – they feel that we are their personal store.’

That’s the value of shopping locally and supporting small businesses – it’s a real connection. Our team can help you find things and provide a really personal experience.

‘I’ve always said – especially to my kids – if you like something, show your support and buy from them. If you like a particular restaurant, don’t go once – go once a month or whenever you can afford it. But if you don’t support them, the less they’ll be there,’ Susie says.