Kilburn Bookshop
The Kilburn Bookshop was an independent bookshop that served the community for almost 30 years. The shop, owned by Steve Adams, offered a diverse selection of books, including children's literature, travel guides, autobiographies, cookbooks, historical works, and fiction. It had a strong focus on Irish, feminist, and Black studies, reflecting the diverse interests of the community it served.
It was a peaceful browsing environment and offered dedicated customer service, often providing next-day orders for sought-after titles. The bookshop had a significant impact on the local literary scene, being the place where renowned British writer Zadie Smith first started reading. Her debut novel "White Teeth" was launched at another of Steve Adams' stores, the Willesden Bookshop.
The bookshop closed on 31 March 2010 due to an increase in rent and disruptive engineering works. The bookshop's manager, Simon-Peter Trimarco, emphasised the community's sense of loss and the significant role the shop played in promoting literacy and providing a welcoming space for readers of all ages.
Sources:
Radical Bookshops Listing, Radical Bookshop History Project (November 2023) [Available online here, accessed 11.06.2025]
Simon-Peter Trimarco, 'After 30 years, the Kilburn Bookshop is forced to close' 15.03.2010 [https://www.bookbrunch.co.uk/page/free-article/after-30-years-the-kilburn-bookshop-is-forced-to-close/, accessed 11.06.2025]
Alison Flood, 'The Willesden Bookshop that inspired Zadie Smith faces closure', 27.07.2012 The Guardian [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jul/27/willesden-bookshop-closure-brent-council, accessed 11.06.2025]
The Radical Bookseller, Issue 75, 1991
