June 2025
Independent Bookshop Week – Daydreams Bookshop
Daydreams Bookshop Bio
We are a small, award-winning, independent bookshop based in Milngavie (just outside of Glasgow), at the start of the famous West Highland Way walking route. We opened in September 2024 and in January 2025 won Best Newcomer from National Book Tokens, a U.K. wide accolade.
Small but perfectly formed, we aim to delight adults and children alike with our beautiful range of books and book related items sourced mainly from local suppliers.
We would love for you to come in and join us for a browse, a book club meeting, or an author event. Our fabulous staff (Elaine, Sophie, Joanna and Ganna) are always on hand to help you find the perfect book. Don’t forget to tune in to our chatty book podcast The Unfinished Story by Daydreams Bookshop available on Spotify!
What inspired you to open your bookshop, was it a lifelong love of reading?
A lifelong love of reading coupled with the joy of running a local book club (The Bonnie Wee Book Club) which I set up during Covid. The book club gave me the support and confidence I needed to consider a career as a bookseller and Daydreams Bookshop was born. I was also inspired to follow my passion for books by a wonderful friend and mindfulness coach, Ashleigh Halpin, and my entrepreneurial brother, Colin Fraser.
Do you have any particularly memorable moments from your time as a bookseller, such as author events or release days?
The opening day on 14 September 2024 was a day that I will always remember. I had worked tirelessly for months to get the shop fitted out and ready for the big opening day. The stream of customers visiting the shop was endless and we sold more than half the opening stock in 6 hours. The support from my local community was overwhelming and I will be forever grateful for the welcome I received that day.
Is there any genre within children’s publishing that you feel publishers should focus on more and if so, why?
I think publishers should be more open to supporting comics and graphic novels and should be encouraging parents and teachers to do the same. There’s a lot of criticism of this genre not being “real books”, but I’ve often found this genre to be the vital spark required to get children into reading independently and for pleasure, often leading to a love of reading a variety of styles and genres of book.
If you could have any fictional character visit your bookshop, who would it be and why?
Winnie the Pooh because I think he would just love chilling out in our children’s section and giving everyone big bear hugs!
Do you have a favourite book that you would recommend to young readers and their families?
I have a 6 year old and 8 year old and they absolutely adore Llama Destroys the World by Jonathan Stutzman – it’s been a family favourite for years. Incredibly funny and clever for both children and adults, yet easy to read.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your bookshop?
I have had a number of customers tell me that they feel the bookshop is a safe space for them and that the bookshop has improved their mental health. I feel like this is the biggest achievement that a bookshop could ever hope for – it’s more than just bricks and mortar and is helping people in some small but significant way.
Finally, why is it more important than ever for readers to support indie bookshops across the UK and Ireland?
Indie bookshops are part of the community and give back more than they take – they support literacy and schools, they bring authors and book-related events to your neighbourhood, they provide a safe space to meet like minded people, and they pay their taxes. Make a better choice for your community and support the little guy!
