"The old station building was used as a shop by a succession of owners until 1967, when two artists moved in. They initially aimed to just live there and make art, but the council insisted the shop's function had to remain. So, they bought a load of second-hand books to sell, and they have never really looked back since."
"The very old-fashioned bookshop, and much loved for that, filling every spare gap with piles upon piles of second-hand books, knick-knacks and any oddities that take the owner's fancy. However, the bookshop had been expected to close soon, as the owners, who are both artists, had reluctantly accepted that it was the sales of their art that were subsidising the sales of books. And finally, that had become untenable."
Osterley Bookshop occupies the ticket office of the original Osterley & Spring Grove tube station, opened in 1883 and closed as a station in 1934 when a replacement station opened on the main road. The building operated as a shop until 1967, when two artists moved in and, after a council insistence that retail continue, began selling second-hand books. The shop became beloved for its old-fashioned atmosphere, packed with books, knick-knacks and postcards. Facing financial strain as art sales subsidised book sales, the owners planned closure but reversed course after community support. The shop will operate on a smaller scale and weekends-only from November, with ongoing sales and pay-what-you-want offers from October.
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