Joyce Cochrane had just discovered she was pregnant when she and her partner Ian gave up their jobs and moved from Edinburgh to revive a former bookshop in Wigtown.
With no stock, no shelves in the shop, no accommodation and having no retail experience they were gambling everything on a dream.
Tuesday marks their 20th anniversary running The Old Bank Bookshop, now one of the largest and most vibrant literature-related businesses in Scotland’s National Book Town.
Joyce said: “We had been to visit family in Newton Stewart and were driving home to Edinburgh on Easter Sunday when Ian mentioned his dream of giving up our jobs and opening a book shop in Wigtown.
“He fully expected me to tell him not to be so daft and nearly drove off the road when I said yes – I didn’t know I was pregnant at the time, but I think the ‘happy hormones’ made me agree.”
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One day, after spending time looking for the ideal place, they were told the Old Bank Bookshop was available, and by the afternoon they had made the deal.
The building had been expected to be turned into flats, so was completely stripped of fittings when they received the keys.
But locals, including fellow bookshop owner Shaun Bythell, all mucked in and helped them build shelves and refit the place. The shop’s former owner John Carter was so delighted that it would continue as a shop that he accompanied them to auctions to buy books.
Joyce said: “Wigtown is a magical place. There we were, me a five-months-pregnant ex-librarian and Ian an unemployed English as a foreign language teacher, and the community came together to help us succeed.”
By the time the shop finally reopened Ian and Joyce had been joined by daughter Helena.
Since then they have become mainstays of the Book Town, of the annual Wigtown Book Festival, including sponsoring events and hosting guests like former cabinet minister Alan Johnson.
Joyce is one of the leading volunteers, supporting the town’s world-famous Open Book Airbnb. She was also a member of the WFC Board for 12 years and served on the Book Town Development Board.
Anne Barclay, Operations Director of Wigtown Festival Company, said: “Joyce and Ian’s contribution to the festival, to the Book Town, to The Open Book and now to our new Friends of Book Town scheme has been incredible.
“It doesn’t matter what you ask them, they will throw themselves into it wholeheartedly. And we’ve asked some pretty bizarre things over the years – like if they would be happy to have turkeys and alpacas in their garden.
“Whatever it is, they smile, chuckle and say ‘yes’.”
Now referring to themselves as “The Old Bankers”, Joyce and Ian have recalled 20 of their memorable and happy moments:
- The birth of Wigtown’s first bookshop baby!
- Hosting the festival’s children’s tent in the garden - complete with visiting animals (ducks, turkeys, owls and alpacas).
- Hosting festival events – on one occasion in an emergency after the yurt being used for a talk by Ian Sansom was flooded.
- Sponsoring childrens’ and adults’ author events during the festival and at other times.
- Translating for the Wigtown/Becherel Transnational Project in France and representing Wigtown in other book towns including Norway, Belgium and Italy.
- Holding book launches with Stranraer & District Local History Trust.
- Hosting the U3A Exploring Literature Group for over 10 years.
- Spring Weekend Talks with the late Prof Ted Cowan, renowned historian Jack Hunter and many others.
- Music events: including Folk at the Old Bank; performances by the great Galloway fiddler Amy Geddes; The Bookshop Band concerts and Cochranes unplugged videos.
- Dylan Moran (of Black Books fame) visiting the shop and buying books.
- Jackie Kay purchasing titles on Nigeria from the Africa section.
- Collaborating with Wigtown Primary School choir to celebrate the Small Places Award at Wigtown Book Festival.
- Closing the bookshop and walking across the road to get married in 2013.
- Contributing to the National Theatre of Scotland production ToBegin at Wigtown Book Festival.
- A bookshop take-over by the CBBC Dengineer Team.
- Having authors and speakers to stay during festivals.
- Being a volunteer at Wigtown Book Festival and The Open Book.
- Having Helena leave her bookshop-home for university.
- Dressing up as Lottie Luna and Dumbledore for World Book Day and finding themselves in an American online publication.
- Watching Wigtown and its festival grow from strength to strength, having people offer to volunteer in the shop and seeing customers return year after year.
To celebrate the 20 years of opening, customers will be offered a glass of fizz and there will be a giveaway of 20 books.
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