Burns Bay Bookery opens new chapter as owners pass the baton

The ladies behind Lane Cove’s iconic ‘The Burns Bay Bookery’ are closing their chapter on the store, but not before sourcing a passionate replacement to keep the institution’s legacy alive.​

Karen Thompson and Beatle Wallace have been the book shop’s custodians for over ten years, declaring this corner of their world, sitting on the outskirts of The Canopy, their second home.

The pair say they have enjoyed every minute since they took a leap of faith when purchasing the store; however, life is now pulling them to a new adventure.

“We’re both in the life stage that is different from when we took the bookshop on, I have elderly parents who need me and will need me more. I have grandchildren now who my children need me, and you can’t give your best to everything,” Karen told ITC while on one of her final shifts in the bookery.​

“And I have a husband who’s about to retire, so it’s kind of like, it’s time, ten years has been fabulous, and you don’t want to stay for so long that you get sort of rusty,” Beatle added.

“No, leave on a high note,” Karen affirmed.

And much like the tune of a violin, the two friends’ tenure at the store played a string of high-note sympathies in the community’s orchestra.

In an age of kindles and e-books, the local indie book store model was looking to become obsolete, but the two continued to stoke the fire, ensuring the community was enthralled by a tailored experience of purchasing publications, not only by assisting in book browsing, but talking about them; the owners sometimes contacting customers when they believed something had arrived that they’d enjoy reading.

They even went as far as to deliver books to a customer who lost the ability to drive.

Though some of the fondest memories Karen and Beatle cherish are accommodating the local kids who wander into the store, whether for a book or assistance, the youth knew it was a safe place to stay.​

“We’ve had a couple of occasions where kids who had a breakdown in communication with their parents, and they haven’t been picked up. So they’ve been told by their mums to come here, so they come here, and then we’ve got their mums on our database, probably, and we ring them up,” Karen shared.

​“One time I nearly locked up and left the shop one evening and realised that there was a small child sitting down,” Beatle joyfully reminisced.

​“And we get people who bring their kids, who used to come here as kids with the Moirs.”

​The Moir’s Bookshop opened its doors on 50 Burns Bay Road over 40 years ago, packing the initial punch for the store, establishing it as a renowned staple of the community – even competing with neighbouring Dymocks.

​Since then, the baton has been passed twice, once to its previous owners and then again to Karen and Beatle, who met and became close working in the store, unbeknownst to them, they themselves would also sign the deed, “we’ve become like two bodies, one brain. It’s scary! We’ve managed for ten and a half years without a fight,” Karen exclaimed… “One fight..” Beatle added.

​“Did we?” replied Karen, “I think so,” laughed Beatle.

​It’s a common trend among indie bookshops to pass ownership to familiar hands, often being customers, staff, or book sales representatives. The Burns Bay duo intend to keep this tradition alive, once more, handing it over to a passionate individual or group to carry on the store’s independent legacy, much like they did over a decade ago.

​When asked their favourite part of running the store was, the pair found it difficult to pinpoint a moment among the many. Karen has had her face printed on a bus poster, and the Bookery won Outstanding Business of the Year at the Lane Cove Council Citizenship Awards two years ago.

​Above all, it was not only their shared friendship that kept the store’s torch burning, but also the community that uplifted them.

​“Thank you for having us. Thank you, it’s been fun.” Karen said, “I’m gonna cry now,” laughed Beatle, attempting to evade her tears, “it’s been a blast.”

Interested in becoming the new owner of The Bookery?

A message from Karen & Beatle….

“We are looking for a passionate individual or group to carry on this independent legacy.
That’s how we started – a couple of friends, looking for the next thing, who made a frankly, scary decision to take an Institution in Lane Cove – Moirs Books, and make it better!
It’s been a joy, it’s been such a privilege and, we think, it’s been a success!
But it’s time to move on.

If you, or someone you know, would be interested in this opportunity, we would love to hear from you. To keep our focus on the shop’s daily operations, we ask that all enquiries be made via email only to:  [email protected] and/or [email protected]”