“Do you actually make books?”

This is a question we hear a lot in our cozy little store right in the heart of Bendigo’s Art Precinct. Our shop is packed with all sorts of cool stationery, like fancy fountain pens, colorful inks, and gorgeous Italian paper and envelopes.

One of the highlights is our special section on the mahogany shelves, where you’ll find a bunch of amazing journals, albums, guest books, sketchbooks, and stunning handcrafted books. Even though our sign says “BOOKBINDER & STATIONER,” some folks don’t realize that every single book on those shelves is made by hand right here in our shop!

Creating each book takes a lot of time—sometimes just a few hours, but if you count the drying time, it can take days! We carefully sew each book together, mold the leather covers, and add cool details like decorative paper sides or fancy end sheets. Every book is one-of-a-kind, which is pretty special in a world where everything is mass-produced and made super fast.

People are often surprised and really happy to learn that someone is crafting these everyday objects by hand. While you might not see our bindery right away (it’s tucked away in the upstairs rooms), we still have some original antique tools displayed in the shop that have been used for almost 20 years. It’s a little peek into the magic behind our books!

Check out some of our creations by following the link below: