Wigtown - Meet the town saved by books

[@bronwentillman8385]

If my grandma were still with us, we'd keep Wigtown in business for decades! This has suddenly been bumped up on my bucket list, and I'll be bringing the bear made from my grandma's fleece coat with me.

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

This makes me happy! There is still a town in this world dedicated to small bookshops! Sounds like heaven to me❤️🤗🐝

[@scotlandunplugged]

They definitely need to be kept alive! 🙂

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

@@scotlandunplugged Yes they do!❤️🤗🐝

[@shelleysanders9666]

Am guessing Haye-on-Wye is another..

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

@@shelleysanders9666 I’m unfamiliar with it. But if it’s like this one, it’s a gem❤️🐝🤗

[@Jyn58]

What a perfect little town if you're looking for a book no longer published. I love small towns and all the unique they have.

[@helpinyerdasellavon]

As an avid reader, I loved to know this! Such a beautiful town with lovely small bookshops. A perfect place surrounded by nature, grab a nice cuppa, a book and enjoy. Thank you for sharing, Robert 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@scotlandunplugged]

It’s not bad (but I’m a bit biased) 🙂

[@shirleylaboy603]

What a perfect little town with book shops. I love to read, and I would definitely love this place. 🙂❤️

[@alicegamble6145]

Wigtown looks like a beautiful little town with so much to see. Well done to all who made it possible.

[@mairianncullen8753]

The first time I visited Wigtown with my 4-year old grandson he said, 'It's very nice here but where are all the people?' 🙂 I hope this video encourages lots of people to go to Wigtown because that's what's needed to keep it going for another 25 years.

[@scotlandunplugged]

I'm always amazed how busy it is without actually looking busy. Will be there for the festival with my brother's book! :-)

[@lindaarmstrongjackman9788]

Very interesting how books saved the town economy. Nothing beats the smell snd feel of a book. Of course, treats sold at small shops come a close second. Thanks Robert. 👍😊👍

[@camerongibson6342]

Great video Robbie, you must be very proud of the town you grew up in

[@scotlandunplugged]

Thanks Cameron! It’s amazing to see the transformation.

[@patriciamccormack7626Teashee]

Thank you for sharing this Robert❤ What a amazing wee place for book lover's, from far and wide👍🏆

[@suellenspencer-eb2nv]

How wonderful. Never can have too many bookstores. Love it. Thank you very much for this story of success.

[@jeremy1350]

Hi Robert. I think I'd like to visit Wigtown. Montreal used to have small book shops, and a few "black hole" dusty old book sellers the ones that had walls stacked and books covered in inches of dust. But that is no more. All of our smaller fare shops were shut down and run out of town. Those black hole shops were bought up and shuttered as well. Now you have to go to a flashy corporate book shop to get a book. Yes, you can sit inside and read a while or visit their expensive coffee shop within, but its not the same. If you go to Ottawa, the capitol, you will find many of those book sellers, who have stacks upon stacks of books in a very ramshackle sort of way. Nowadays, you're better off shopping online for books, which defeats the purpose and necessity of a real book shop. I love all those little book shops there in Wigtown. Do the Wigtown book sellers have online presence? Maybe we can check them out from far away?? Yes?

[@nigelwylie01]

We now have websites which allow us to buy from these small independent bookshops. Best of both worlds. Abe is one of the best. I use it as my first port of call.

[@MorbinNecrim86]

Miss the old bookshops like that

[@scotlandunplugged]

I believe a few are on Abe Books. 🙂

[@stephenoran2019]

As a confirmed bibliophile whose home is beginning to look like the Library of Congress, not to mention a ridiculous number of Kindle books and Audible audiobooks, I really loved this story! Good for Wigtown!

[@scotlandunplugged]

My house isn’t quite there, but my audible and kindle accounts are stuffed 🙂

[@sharonm3677]

What an attractive cozy looking town. It must be wonderful to have a book festival. I’d be lost forever if there were that many inviting book stores around me. ❤❤

[@scotlandunplugged]

I managed 6 hours before having to go home (and in that time, I bumped into 3 siblings, 3 nephews, 2 cousins and my mum) 😂

[@MrAmy4kane]

Love getting a sandwich from the coop and sitting on the green to eat it, lovely little town ❤

[@scotlandunplugged]

I can remember sitting there when I was about 5. Can still hear the bowls!

[@monicab204]

What a lovely town! I love the feel of a real book. I'll need to put it on my list of places to go next time I'm in Scotland. ❤

[@scotlandunplugged]

There’s definitely something about the real thing!

[@amypeterman9387]

❤❤❤I love that books saved this place !!! Books are fantabulous!!!!!

[@mrmaster9801]

Many years ago, I visited Hay-on-Wye, perhaps the most famous book town in UK (as far as I know), while visiting Wales. It was a wonderful visit, expecially for an avid reader like me. Glad to know that the idea has spread and that it helped other places ^^.

[@scotlandunplugged]

Ah yes. The idea came from Hay-on-Wye.

[@shalacarter6658]

How lovely!

[@mschoy1597]

The town seems so quaint, proper and calming!

[@scotlandunplugged]

I love it, but I’m massively biased! 😂

[@tinahale9252]

I really love hearing stories of restoration.

[@SaucyWench88]

I have wanted to go here for years.

[@cindyrissal3628]

Buckets of coffee is a VERY good thing! 😉 Those book stores you keep walking through make me drool. They'd never get me out!❤

[@scotlandunplugged]

That’s actually one shop! The Book Shop - Scotland’s biggest secondhand book shop.

[@midgetuley4262]

I love to read! Sounds like Wigtown is my cup of tea...or maybe coffee!

[@Kevinjohnson34567]

I went to Wigtown in 2015. My mother’s family “McCandlish” is from there. My ancestors traveled to America in the 1750s. Wonderful place!

[@kathybrandt6060]

Robbie, I’m glad to hear that your little town made it through the 90s. Maybe next week we can go back to horror .

[@Sh4peofmyheart]

Oh, it looks and sounds like where I need to live. I read quite a bit, and I feel like I could be happy, there. ❤️❤️❤️

[@scotlandunplugged]

It’s a nice place to live (I’m clearly biased). There are a few books about it… “Diary of a Bookseller,” “Three Things You Need To Know About Rockets” and “Devorgilla Days”, to name a few. 🙂

[@Sh4peofmyheart]

@@scotlandunplugged Thank you! I'll give them a read.

[@TheMeg0128]

Great video!! Always enjoy your wonderful stories… 👏🏻🩵

[@scotlandunplugged]

Thank you!

[@tfodthogtmfof7644]

Any place with bookstores is a place worth visiting.

[@joycefuller9177]

Love books. Great way to keep a town alive.

[@p.brinki8130]

It's worth more than one journey, I can say. We loved our stay in summer!

[@nataliegraham9552]

I'm so glad you featured Wigtown! I have been a book person since my chubby toddler hands could grip a storybook. 📖❤ I hope I can get to your childhood town sometime soon. I may never leave... 😄

[@scotlandunplugged]

The older I get, the more I want to move back. Edinburgh will do though 🙂

[@robertamity3563]

I have a disorder and I have a problem with the intake of written word , I learn thought speech ;so, over my life time I have gotten better with the written word ? I watch videos like this one to teach me ! You don’t mind right ! 👍😎🇺🇸!

[@samanthadillard2853]

But that's one of the things I love about your channel you don't just talk about the blood and guts of the situation you actually give some of the lighter side of it or whimsical or just straight odd and unique

[@dbach1025]

Brilliant idea and brilliant grab at an opportunity. So good to see food people like the Parker brothers succeed.

[@Emma-Jayne]

The Worlds coolest town!!! I’m moving there then ❤

[@stevieray7203]

💛 It!

[@avrilconacher]

One of my favourite places to visit

[@janetmackinnon3411]

Thank you I'm really enjoying your videos.

[@giannabarrow7764]

wow!!! Good for Wigtown! Thanks for sharing!

[@skyedancer3106]

I learn something interesting everytime you put out a great video. Please keep them coming for us. My son started reading at 2 and still loves to read at 37. Take care and stay safe till next time. ❤

[@brightpage1020]

I NEED to come to Wigtown!!!! Thank you!!!!

[@howardg396]

This would be my ideal vacation spot. The only trouble would be the freight charges getting all the books I bought home to Canada!

[@Thecreatorofallholyandnot]

That cafe rendevous looks 10/10

[@scotlandunplugged]

It ain’t half bad! 😎

[@julierogers1155]

I want to travel to Wigtown now.

[@winmarfbd909]

I didn't know the backstory of the Book Festival, so thanks for the info. Watched you and Graeme yesterday on the live stream from the Wigtown Book Festival, while sitting in my little kitchen here in Michigan.. I'm nearing 70 and would never have imagined doing such a thing. Isn't technology grand?!? I'm waiting to order Graeme's book tomorrow, Oct 1, 2024. 🤗❤️

[@scotlandunplugged]

Brilliant! Mad to think it was going out across the globe and there were 400 people in the tent in front of us! 🙂 Thank you.

[@winmarfbd909]

@@scotlandunplugged Glad to hear there was a good turnout. Graeme seemed worried no one would be there! I hope the pre-orders are doing nicely, and from the comments I've read there are plenty who are also waiting for the ebook and the audiobook, so it's very exciting. I'd love it if you would sign my book, too! 🤗📖❤️

[@pixiwix]

I run a small bookshop in America and would give my left arm to be able to move shop here. What a magical idea! I'm actually going to be starting by PhD in Aberdeen within the next year, so maybe I'll look into that option afterwards. Thanks for this!❤

[@scotlandunplugged]

Have you read Diary of a Bookseller or Three Things You Need to Know About Rockets? They’re both books about living and working in Wigtown. 🙂

[@pixiwix]

@@scotlandunplugged I hadn't but I will now - thank you for the suggestion!

[@jldisme]

❤

[@lindasworld5238]

I've got to find a way to make a bunch of money. I need to come to Scotland and Wigtown is where I'd start. Would give my right arm for a small friendly town.

[@sheilan6235]

This sounds amazing, I want to visit! Except shipping my purchases back to Montana would be cost-prohibitive. Still want to visit it though.

[@scotlandunplugged]

Yeah, that could get pricey 😂

[@nadinedeeren9861]

And what exactly is wrong with sugar laden coffee??? Next to Books it's nigh perfection! Books of course being first. When I come to Scotland I shall visit Wigtown and, well, end up buying too many books 😂😂😂

[@scotlandunplugged]

Easy done! I remember getting addicted to Starbucks peppermint lattes until I realised one day that I was holding a pint of coffee. 😂

[@valeriomassimopastorealina3102]

I think this is my spiritual place

[@amypeterman9387]

You are quite Dashing without the beard 🥰❤ Love the new look !!! What does your wife think?

[@barbridingsTheResinator]

What a great story for this town! Now, back to death and destruction...

[@scotlandunplugged]

😂

[@barbaracarol485]

😮

[@WkdWnch007]

You mean it wasn't because of Graeme Parker??? 🐮❤🐮

[@bethotoole6569]

So,,,, you're from 'the Shire'???? Does that mean you're an exceptionally tall hobbit??

[@scotlandunplugged]

It’s possible 😂

[@ramonadixon1291]

Great story.....good to know that there are people that read actual books still exist. I see you shaved...is that a new look or just testing the waters 😂 Looks good either way.

[@scotlandunplugged]

Haha. I got sick of the beard, then remembered to horror of what lurks beneath 😂

[@ramonadixon1291]

​@@scotlandunplugged Nahhhhh I'm sure your wife would agree that you look great either way.

[@jeffreyshier9021]

Death and destruction.😂😂😂

[@charlesmugleston6144]

Rise like a PhoeniX AYE Whit wi Scotland unplugged an Wigtown birl around Independence whispers... "I'll soon be found.... !!! X

[@lorrainebedson7261]

Would love to live there, my idea of heaven

[@kathleenmuller306]

Wasn't that your Mom's coffee shop!?!

[@scotlandunplugged]

It was!

[@Athena621]

Whoever read the "... of a booksellers" books and does not want to go there, is beyond me.

[@scotlandunplugged]

The interior bookshop shots are all Shaun Bythell''s shop (which used to be my great grandad's draper shop) :-)

[@Athena621]

@@scotlandunplugged Oh wow... 📚