The world’s first Airbnb bookshop has been opened in Wigtown, Scotland. Guests who rent the apartment above the shop, which is aptly called The Open Book, are given the keys to the shop, which they can run for the duration of their stay.
Writing about the experience of running The Open Book on Buzzfeed, Dan Dalton says, “Romantic notions of bookselling might not hold up in a national chain or a busy city, but here, in a small Scottish town by the sea, surrounded by the smell of used books, they just might. Certainly beats a central London office on a Monday morning. Or any morning.”
Wigtown is, as Dalton points out, Scotland’s National Book Town. It boasts of ten bookshops and is the site of the annual Wigtown Book Festival.
On their Airbnb page, the owners of the bookshop write:
“The first ever bookshop holiday / residency experience, Scotland's National Book Town welcomes you to play-bookshop for a week or two. We'll give you your very own apartment and bookshop below, supported by a team of friendly volunteers to make your trip as lovely as possible. Set up by The Wigtown Festival Company, The Open Book's aim is to celebrate books, independent bookshops and welcome people around the world to Scotland's National Book Town. The fee for your stay is low because we are a non-profit.”
Unfortunately for those who are keen to visit soon, Dalton points out that the apartment is completely booked into 2018.
Till then, here's the Tumblr where those who've been there share their experiences.
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