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Daunt Books

Coordinates: 51°31′14″N 0°09′07″W / 51.52048°N 0.15190°W / 51.52048; -0.15190
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Daunt Books
Company typePrivately held company
IndustryRetail
Bookshop
Founded1990
FounderJames Daunt
HeadquartersLondon, England, UK
Number of locations
9 stores (2021)
Area served
United Kingdom
ProductsBooks
Stationery
Calendars
Gifts & Bags
Websitewww.dauntbooks.co.uk

Daunt Books is a chain of bookshops in London, founded by James Daunt. It traditionally specialised in travel books. In 2010, it began publishing. Its initial Marylebone branch, opened in 1912, claims to be the first custom-built bookshop in the world.

Bookshops

The Marylebone High Street branch is housed in a former Edwardian bookshop with long oak galleries, graceful skylights and William Morris prints. The older section of the Marylebone shop was completed in 1912, and was originally an antiquarian bookshop called Francis Edwards.[1] It is alleged to be the first custom-built bookshop in the world.[2] A large, walk-in safe is visible near the entrance to the travel gallery, and is where expensive volumes were once stored. The shop was bought by former banker James Daunt and renamed Daunt Books in 1990.[1] It now focuses on first-hand titles (especially travel-related material).

The company has branches in Holland Park, Cheapside, Hampstead and Belsize Park. The Owl Bookshop in Kentish Town was bought by Daunt Books, but retains its original name.[3] Daunt Books opened its first branch outside London in Saffron Walden, Essex, under the name Hart's Books. It opened its second branch outside London in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, under the name The Marlow Bookshop[4], followed by a branch in Summertown, Oxford.

Specialising in travel, Daunt Books arranges its sections geographically, with guides, phrasebooks, travel writing, history and fiction grouped by their relevant country. Reviews have mentioned its customer service and knowledgeable staff.[5]

Each branch organises talks by authors, with discussions. Daunt also hosts the Daunt Books Festival held annually in the spring.[6]

Publishing

In 2010, Daunt Books launched a publishing venture with Saki's Improper Stories, and has since republished many other out-of-print and new books. It publishes literary fiction and non-fiction, including both forgotten titles and new works.[7]

Daunt Books' publications include:

See also

A scene in Anthony Horowitz's 2018 novel The Sentence Is Death (written as Daniel Hawthorne) takes place in the Marylebone branch.

References

  1. ^ a b "Daunt Books, 83 Marylebone High Street". The Survey of London. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  2. ^ "About Us | Francis Edwards". Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  3. ^ "Bookstore of the Week – The Owl Bookshop". Abrams & Chronicle Books. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  4. ^ Campbell, LIsa (17 June 2016). "Daunt Books to open in Marlow". The Bookseller. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  5. ^ "London's finest bookshops, The Guardian, 1 July 2008. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  6. ^ Harris, Joanne (26 July 2018). Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2019. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 844. ISBN 978-1-4729-4748-2.
  7. ^ Allen, Katie (4 March 2011). "Daunt turns publisher to mark Bedford’s centenary". The Bookseller. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
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51°31′14″N 0°09′07″W / 51.52048°N 0.15190°W / 51.52048; -0.15190

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