At the bustling foot of Leith Walk, there seems to be a perfect mixture of commercial chains and independent businesses—from easy retail access to crafted local experiences. However, with the quick, shiny popup of the newest Waterstones in Edinburgh on Leith Walk, the ecosystem of Leith and its booksellers could change for the worse—a sudden threat to the pleasantries of the local independents.
The beloved Argonaut Books, a local independent booksellers, focuses on fostering human connection through a love for books, along with amazing coffee. The manager, Adam, who was born and raised within Leith, opened this independent bookstore around four years ago, and has an excellent team of under ten employees. Walking through the store, I could feel the warm nostalgia of diving into the literary world: from the carefully curated bookshelves with endless genres, to the inviting smiles and words of the employees.
Interviewing Niamh, an Argonaut Books employee who welcomed me with a lovely cappuccino, gave me insight into how this recent opening could impact their business. Warm coffee in hand, I intently listened Niamh’s retelling of the situation, and I began to feel frustration on the business’s behalf—not only due to the threat of the staff livelihoods, but also due to the lack of communication from the Waterstones Corporation about the new store’s proximity to Argonaut and other businesses. Indeed, Niamh specified how they “had to find out through other channels,” highlighting how the team was left in the dark about this newcoming threat by a clear lack of transparent communication. This spotlights the perceived lack of respect on the corporation’s behalf for the risks of their new location, as it threatens the Leith bookselling teams and their staff—which have been serving the community for a long time.
Every book on the shelves at Argonauts’ book has been carefully chosen and contemplated by the full team, with each section carrying personal meaning and a crafted library for the customers. The customers themselves reinforce a strong sense of community in the area, with the friendly atmosphere and sense of bond with the staff. Indeed, the employees navigate regulars through all walks of life: from a honeymoon vacation book to gaze over upon the beach, to the cautiously selected first fiction they read to their newborn. In Leith, where the scene is rapidly changing, local businesses experience pressures, but also opportunity. The Argonaut bookstore is not just an independent business, it frames a key element of Leith’s literary identity, thus feeding the area’s social culture.
While Waterstones remains a vital bookseller itself, it still begs the question of capitalistic gain. Waterstones as a corporation may exist to sell books and host literary events which promote reading and literary appreciation, but its commercialisation will always shift the balance of library communities through economic advantage.
The arrival of a new chain bookstore does not inherently cause unfixable destruction, as shown through the endless branches over the United Kingdom coexisting well with independent bookshops. But in a street like Leith Walk—with its reliance on independence to foster a sense of well-being and community—we must question whether commercial expansion is always acceptable and/or needed.
Having wandered inside of Argonaut Books, surrounded by the hums of literary conversation, and clattering of coffee cups, tapping on laptop keyboards, it became evident to me what was at stake here. These independent bookshops feel like much more than retail businesses—they are anchors of cultural vitality, sculptured by the customers who continue to return and the employees who place their own precious touch into the stock, and their service. If we as readers value individuality, humanity and the literary precision of independents like Argonaut, we must push to choose and support these spots before the overly convenient and commercialised corporations overshadow them.
Photo by Isobel Barker for The Student
