One of the first things you think when you hear that the renowned Falmouth Bookseller is opening its own café above their shop is ‘Why hasn’t this happened before?’.

The store in Church Street has just announced on Instagram that it will be opening the “Above the Bookshop” its 'bookish' café in the former Dolly’s bar just before Easter.

The cafe is the brainchild of owner Ron Johns and shop manager Eloise Rowe.

She told the Packet the name of the café seemed obvious really.

“The name was actually a bit of fun we had years ago,” she said. “We thought it was a great name because everyone will literally know where it is when you tell them. Everyone thinks it’s great and it’s one of those things that everyone went ‘Oh yeah, that’s it’.”

20 years ago Ron took over from shop from book wholesalers J Barnicoat when it was known as the Falmouth Bookshop before eventually buying the building.

Built around 1818, the Georgian building is over 200 years old. The wooden floorboards will refinished with reclaimed timber and all the original plaster work is being redone by specialist renovation people. Entry will be at the side of the building through the newly painted Georgian door.

Falmouth Packet: Entry will be gained at the side of the building through the newly painted Georgian doorEntry will be gained at the side of the building through the newly painted Georgian door (Image: Paul Armstrong)

Ron told the Packet it seemed like the chance to take back control of the whole building after the previous tenants left unexpectedly.

“It’s a lovely cosy elegant space and one of the most beautiful rooms in Falmouth,” said Ron. “We want it to be warm cosy away from the hubbub of the street. Warm and welcoming.

“It’s not going to be Dolly’s in a new guise. We’re going for a clean sweep with a modern interesting café with design features but with that heritage and the books more importantly attached to all of it.”

Eloise said when they first made the announcement about the café on Instagram the response that was just “incredible”.

“People were so enthusiastic and lovely about it,” she said.

She said she felt it was the right time to make to make it happen because the community around the bookshop has really grown in the last few years with the rise of the student population and young professionals alongside its regular customers.

The café will be opening before Easter and the space will be available to hire in the evening with a bar as the building has an alcohol licence.

There will even be typewriter for people to write letters on to send from Above the Bookshop.

The café will be open from 9.30am to 5pm.

“I enjoy a challenge,” said Eloise. “I really want the building to be enjoyed and loved and I also want something for our customers to enjoy.

“A lot our customers are conscious of supporting indie business and high streets and it’s giving them a space as well and it’s repaying them for that support. It’s like they’ve been great supporters of us, now what can we do for them?”

Follow their progress at https://www.falmouth-bookseller.co.uk/atb/