There’s something very special about a second-hand bookshop in a country town. Even more lovely are their owners, collecting, maintaining, protecting and sharing knowledge in the sale of quality books. That couldn’t be truer of Ed Irons, who runs the Woodend Bookshop with his wife Christine. He spoke to Elsie Lange about why selling books in the Macedon Ranges is something he adores.
What’s your connection to Woodend?
It was originally through the book shop and being a lifelong attender at secondhand bookshops, I visited Woodend Bookshop and got interested. As a result, when things evolved, got to owning the bookshop.
What do you like about Woodend?
I sometimes think of the motto ‘I know because I read’, because if you want to have discussions and be informed, having evidence is always a good thing. People who read books, and people who care to understand their world help us not to work in ignorance. There’s lots of people in Woodend who are informed, interested, and caring, to make the world a better place. That for me makes Woodend a great place.
What, if anything, would you change about Woodend?
I would like the relationship between the council and the Woodend trading population to be improved. There’s room for more work there to just cooperate with council for the building of the community. I’m sure council wants it, I’m sure traders want it, I’m sure the population wants it.
Where is your favourite local place to spend time?
Paysanne Cafe or the Full Moon Saloon, they are two nice spots. They’ve got good food and friendly staff.
What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?
I have an arts background, I can draw well and sort of know my art history. I’ve taught at university in that area and tutored in visual arts, so I suppose that’s something specialist about me.
What does a secondhand bookshop mean in a place like Woodend?
We’re in the recycling business, which is a good thing to begin with. People tend to bring me their good books they either don’t need, or might be from their parents’ place, or they are downscaling. They give me those good books, because they think these books are definitely too good for the dump bit and probably too good for the opportunity shop. As someone once said, I have Christmas every day. People will bring in a box of books and I don’t know what’s going to be in it, and sometimes there are wonderful treasures.
