Our guest today is Tom Rowley, owner of Backstory, London’s newest independent bookstore situated in the heart of Balham.

 As a  journalist-turned-bookseller, his journey has led to him writing for some of the most recognizable names in the press like The Economist, The Washington Post, and The Daily Telegraph.

He originally started Backstory as a market stall and after the pandemic decided to take the plunge and make it a real shop, his fulltime job and fulfill his lifelong dream: recommending books to people from all walks of life.

We ask him about the future of the high street, why people from Estonia flock to his website to buy books and how he managed to crowdfund over £25k to make his dream come true! 

And of course, make sure you listen to the end to hear which book a man with access to over 3500 books recommends!

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