Opening our doors with our new sign
Cannot believe that five years have gone by since I took over the shop as a sole trader and launched Foggie Toddle Books! Of course this picture dates from the July when we finally opened the doors and the new sign – created by artist Will Gorman – was placed over the windows. I took over the shop just as the Pandemic hit and I wasn’t sure I would ever actually get to open – but thankfully the grants for small businesses helped me pay the rent until I could start to earn some money.
I had, of course, been running the shop since November 2015 but under a different name and (she said diplomatically) under different circumstances. It was my intention to just run the shop and not return to publishing but somehow things didn’t turn out that way, and I’m just astonished at how successful that side of the business has been. Today I picked up another print run of The Highland Cowgirl which we only launched last June! But we’d sold almost all the 2000 copies and needed more stock for the start of the tourist season. This has been such a hit with readers that we are working on a second adventure for the Highland cowgirl – the story has been written by Louisa MacDougall and Sarah Lovell is currently working on the illustrations. Last month we launched the third in the Shona the Vet series by Catherine Stables, and we’re waiting for the second story for Betty and her best friend Archie to return from the printer. More in our next news item.
So in just five years we’ve published Betty’s New Best Friend, The Castle Cat, Wheesht, Yum, The Wee Kirkcudbright Centipede, three Shona the Vet books, and we reissued Walter’s Wonky Web, and The House that Sugar Built by Donna Brewster. We also published a wonderful collection of poetry and art by Des Dillon. Betty, the Wee Kirkcudbright Centipede and The Highland Cowgirl are all on their second print runs. Just amazing!
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey so far, my wonderful shop team Lou, Magghi and Isabelle, all the authors and illustrators, all the fabulous crafters and artists who contribute to the shop and most of all, all you amazing people who come and support the shop, or buy our books throughout the UK.
Thank you, xxx
