Universal Bookshop

Sobre Nosotros

International book shop in Portals Nous, MallorcaChildren's fiction and study books, cookery & reference. Open 6 days a week. Book ordering and laminating service. Knitting and sewing accessories.

Historia

Welcome to the Universal Bookshop Page!

I have had the shop for just over a year now and how the time has flown. I remember when I first took over the shop it was full of old dusty second hand books and I didn't know where to start.

Before moving to the island I managed a Grade ll listed building which was community owned. Over the past 20 years I have become a regular visitor to Mallorca especially Portals Nous. After suffering personal bereavements in 2011 I felt a large void in my life and knew that I had to make a life changing decision and looked around for what might interest me. I found an internet advertisement for the book shop and immediately took a flight over and decided that this was the place for me. I arrived back six weeks later with my suitcase in my hand.

Over the past year I have made many changes to the shop: a large quantity of the old books have gone. The shop is now bright and welcoming, and due to popular demand I now stock books in other languages such as Spanish, Swedish, German, Dutch and Danish. There is an enormous children's selection from first books up to “A” level course books. (By the way, according to a survey in the U.K. teenagers who read good quality fiction books between revising for exams achieve better results).

I’m proud to say that I have managed to turn the shop into a thriving community hub. People travel from all over Mallorca to visit the shop. My favourite time of the day is when the children come storming in to see me after they have been picked up from school.

I have now introduced informal knitting and sewing classes for adults and children. The shop has an ever increasing supply of yarn, patterns, needles and haberdashery items.

There is a notice board where people can advertise events and also some work from local artists in the form of greetings cards. I also offer a laminating service.

I know that I still have a lot of work ahead of me, like engaging with the local schools and hotels for example. With an open mind and some hard work...especially with my newly learnt skills on social networking...I am sure that I will get there. Whatever the way forward is for the shop it will be very creative....that's for sure!

Next time that you are in Portals Nous please pop in to find out for yourself. Kay