A brilliant concept: The Scottish bookstore turned into a vacation getaway

Ever imagine leaving the 9-to-5 grind behind to run your own bookstore surrounded by Scotland’s rolling hills and heather?

If so, you might consider it just a daydream – but that’s where The Open Book makes it a reality.

Located in Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town, this one-of-a-kind vacation rental allows visitors to manage their very own seaside bookstore.

The Open Book was founded by Jessica Fox, an American writer who left her NASA career in California at 24 to pursue her dream of a new life in Scotland. She fell in love with Wigtown and its abundance of bookshops and never looked back.

‘It’s not just me – I believe the visitors to The Open Book share the same sentiment about Wigtown,’ says Fox, now in her 30s, in an interview with Dinogo Travel. ‘It’s a truly enchanting place, offering everything you could wish for in a Scottish getaway.’

A unique concept

The inspiration for The Open Book came from Fox’s own whirlwind romance with Wigtown, home to the renowned Wigtown Book Festival every September.

‘I had never been to Scotland before, only seen it in movies,’ Fox remembers. ‘I left a crowded city, constantly stuck in traffic, and found myself in a place with few people, breathtaking views, and no cars… I instantly fell in love with it.’

In a plot twist straight from a romantic comedy, Fox found herself falling for Shaun Bythell, the local bookstore owner. The Wigtown community embraced her, and she realized she was living the dream she'd always imagined.

‘I thought I couldn’t be the only one – surely there are more crazy Americans who dream of running a seaside bookshop in Scotland,’ she laughs.

Fox understood that most people wouldn't want to leave their old lives behind permanently – but she was confident that a week experiencing the charm of a ‘Local Hero’-style Scottish village would captivate many.

As Fox was considering this idea, one of Wigtown’s bookstores announced it was closing its doors. It felt like perfect timing.

‘Finn McCreath, who sits on the Festival Board, and I decided to take it over and put my idea of a ‘bookshop vacation’ to the test,’ she recalls.

Five years later, The Open Book has become a smashing success. It’s fully booked on Airbnb for years to come, with an extensive waiting list.

Massive success

The Open Book has helped establish Wigtown as a must-visit destination, with book lovers journeying to this picturesque corner of Scotland from all over the world.

‘We’ve hosted some truly remarkable guests. We now welcome visitors from nearly every country, with people of all ages,’ says Fox.

The Open Book is managed by local volunteers: ‘All the profits generated by The Open Book are reinvested back into the Wigtown community,’ Fox explains.

Local residents go out of their way to make guests feel welcome, picking them up from transport stations and baking them fresh shortbread. Visitors are treated like local celebrities for the week, with everyone eager to get to know the newcomers.

‘The town really takes care of them, inviting them to dinner or the pub – it’s truly a community effort,’ says Fox.

In exchange, guests take care of the bookstore, leaving their personal mark on The Open Book.

‘We encourage visitors to take the lead and host events in the shop, even share aspects of their own culture with the town. People really embrace this and come up with imaginative and wonderful ideas,’ says Fox.

‘We’ve had Spanish wine tastings, book readings, game nights – guests bring so much energy and creativity to the bookstore. There’s no typical day, it’s all about what you contribute,’ says Fox.

Guests also share their experiences by blogging about their stay on The Open Book website and on Twitter.

A true love story

Fox penned a romantic memoir about her relationship with bookstore owner Bythell, so it’s no surprise that Wigtown has become a hotspot for romantics – even though Fox and Bythell are no longer together.

‘We’ve just had our first bookshop proposal, and the whole town was thrilled,’ says Fox, excitedly.

Among the most memorable guests were a couple in their 80s who came for their honeymoon.

‘They would do Tai Chi on the lawn every morning, which was absolutely adorable,’ says Fox.

Despite their separation, Fox and Bythell remain close friends, according to Fox.

‘It tends to disappoint the romantics in many people,’ Fox laughs. ‘But I want everyone to know, we’re both really happy, very good friends, and he’s like family. In the end, everything is great.’

As The Open Book continues to rise in popularity on Airbnb, it might not be long before it’s featured on the big screen.

Bythell has also penned a book, ‘The Diary of a Bookseller,’ which has been a success. The former couple is in talks with a production company to adapt their story into a series.

‘We’re bringing our books together,’ says Fox.

If Wigtown makes it to Hollywood, it probably won’t be long before The Open Book is fully booked for the foreseeable future.

Could a sequel be on the horizon?

In the meantime, Fox and her team are exploring other ways for visitors to experience the magic of Wigtown.

‘It’s completely surreal, we’re thrilled and honestly a little surprised, but also excited to welcome as many people as we can to Wigtown,’ says Fox.

‘We’ve discussed possibly opening a second location, but we don’t want to take away from the uniqueness of the first one,’ she adds. ‘Instead, we’re encouraging others in the area to create their own Airbnb experiences, taking advantage of our long waiting list.’

The founders have also considered offering their expertise to similar projects in other locations.

‘We’ve had inquiries from other towns in the UK,’ says Fox. ‘We’d be thrilled to share our knowledge and perhaps open a few more Open Books in interesting spots around the UK. That feels like the next logical step.’

This article was first published in March 2018 and updated in April 2019.