A CHANCE visit to an Ipswich bookshop has delivered a $1000 prize for a Brisbane grandmother, with the purchase of a single Australian novel securing the top prize in a national competition celebrating independent bookstores.
Darra resident Mary was visiting Ipswich for the Farmers Markets at Tulmur Place on October 10 when a familiar book in the window of The Book Bouquet caught her attention.
Her visit coincided with Love Your Bookshop Day, a nationwide celebration of independent bookstores, Australian authors and the communities that support them.
Every year, Mary and her friends enjoy a girls’ weekend at Kingscliff on the New South Wales coast, where visiting independent bookstore Boardwalk Books and purchasing a book each has become a treasured tradition.
This year, Mary selected Tilda Is Visible, a novel by Australian author Jane Tara exploring ageing, identity and the experiences of older women navigating a society in which they can often feel overlooked.
Staff informed Mary that her purchase made her eligible for the Australian Booksellers Association’s national Love Your Bookshop Day competition, offering a $1000 prize to encourage Australians to support independent bookstores.
It was only when an unexpected email arrived announcing her as the national winner that Mary realised her spontaneous Ipswich shopping trip had delivered a remarkable windfall.
The grandmother plans to spend much of her prize on books for her grandchildren, while also treating their parents to titles from their growing reading lists.
For The Book Bouquet, the victory has placed the Ipswich business in the national spotlight, reinforcing the importance of independent bookstores and their community connections.
“We are extremely excited that the winning entry came from our store and proud that Ipswich is getting recognised as being a strong community of readers,” the bookstore said.
