Pickwick Books owner celebrates 1st anniversary at popular shop

Marnie Mycroft is celebrating her first anniversary this month as owner of Pickwick Books in Waterdown. 

Taking over the store on April 1, 2023, was a big leap into something new, Mycroft said, but the decision has paid off. 

Pickwick Books has been open since 1995, and passed through three owners before Mycroft took the reigns last year. The store sits at the corner of Dundas Street East and Mill Street, and sells mostly used books. 

“It was a dream of mine, but it wasn’t one I ever thought would come to fruition,” she told FlamboroughToday. 

Bookstore gives new owner chance to live her dream

In January 2023, Mycroft was feeling unfulfilled at a corporate finance job she had worked in for 15 years. She said she was commuting to downtown Toronto from her home in Burlington before she began working from home during the pandemic.

“I just knew I wasn’t going to last another 15 years at the job I was doing,” she said, adding that she was looking for her next chapter but didn’t know exactly what that would be. 

But then a member of her book club shared the sale listing for Pickwick Books with her, and without knowing for sure if she wanted to become the new owner, she went to visit the store and speak with its previous owner. 

“As soon as I walked in the door, I was like, ‘Yes, this is where I want to be. I can see myself in this store,’” she said. 

Mycroft was new to owning a business, but said taking over a well-established shop like Pickwick's was like stepping into a pair of shoes. 

And since buying the store, she said, the response from the Waterdown community has been fantastic. 

“It does feel like it’s integral to the community here,” she said, and quoted English author Neil Gaiman: “A town isn’t a town without a bookstore.”

Local bookstore owner looking to give back 

Mycroft says she is going to have a community celebration for the milestone later this month.

April 27 is Independent Bookstore Day, and Pickwick Books is going to host an event for both the day and the anniversary. 

While she hasn’t finalized the activities for the celebration yet, she says there will likely be a raffle, tea time and snacks for the public. 

“I just want to have a little way to say thank you to the community for an awesome first year, and for supporting our local bookstore,” she said.