Our Hemingway's Chapter...
How a spontaneous drive morphed into a new life, a new town, and a bookstore filled with stories.
And so, our lives have morphed into our Hemingway’s chapter. A new phase. We are Jen and Ant, a couple of rolling stones who, in a rush of inspiration, packed our bags, said goodbye to our dear friends in White River, and headed Capewards toward a challenging and as yet unopened chapter of our life story.
It Was All A Rush!
It started, as the best things often do, with a simple, sudden idea from Jen: “We’re going for a drive, Ant!”
That drive became a destination: Hermanus. A place we’d never been. A name to roll around in your mouth. Before we knew it, we were packing an overnight bag, which turned into packing two bags of clothes, grabbing the fly rods and binoculars, and pointing ourselves towards the coast. It was a whirlwind, a leap of faith, and our very own Waterloo moment.
We’ve traded the familiar for the wind of the Cape, for late sunsets and even later mornings. We’ve found ourselves here, in a bookstore in Hermanus. And it’s nice. Very, very nice.
More Than Mere Books
Come take a brief Hemingway’s tour with us. Our shop is a place to get a bit lost and distracted. When you walk up and down our aisles, you’ll find much more than mere books. You’ll find:
- Worlds of Imagination: Classics, history, and nostalgic kiddies' stories.
- The Romance of Motion: Tales of trains, classic cars, and aeroplanes.
- A Deep Dive into History: Rich sections of Africana, stories from the Boer War, and the lives of inimitable figures like Jan Smuts, Louis Botha, and Deneys Reitz.
It's a multitude of stories waiting to be discovered, a place for nods to various questions, and a starting point for new challenges and new verses in your own life.
Finding Our Home in Hermanus
We quickly realised that Hermanus is a special town. Very special. It’s a place where the community’s warmth can be felt even in the heaviest rainfall.
We’ve been amazed by the small things that make a big difference: traffic officers who expertly guide cars in a downpour, and drivers so courteous you won’t find them in the yellow lanes or stuck on your bumper.
But best of all? The people who come into our bookstore just to say hello.
“I’m just coming here to say hello! To welcome you to Hermanus!”
Our ultimate feel-good is becoming members of this most special, caring community.
An Open Invitation
Heartfelt thanks from Jen ‘n me to all of you for making us feel so very welcome. We invite you to stop by, browse the shelves, share a story, and become part of our new chapter.
After all, as we’re happily learning, “we’ll get by with a little help from our friends.
