A unique shop is set to move into an historic York building.
The Poetry Pharmacy is described as ‘part bookshop, part apothecary’. It stocks poetry and non-fiction titles curated according to emotional states – such as ‘Inspiration’, ‘Comfort’, and ‘Joy’.
And you can get ‘poetry pills’ in glass bottles – fitting for a store that offers ‘poetry on prescription’.
The store also sells literary-themed gifts and puts on live events. The Poetry Pharmacy is set to open at 20 Coney Street early next year.
It was founded by poet and editor Deborah Alma, along with partner and poet James Sheard, with its flagship store opening in Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire, in 2019.
A second location as a concession inside Lush Spa on Oxford Street, London, opened in 2023, and it’s now set to launch its third location in York.
The York shop aims to continue the Poetry Pharmacy’s vision to bring poetry and wellbeing to a vibrant community of readers, residents, and visitors.
The York Poetry Pharmacy will offer a dedicated retail space for poetry, literary non-fiction and wellbeing gifts.
There will also be ‘poetry consultations’; a programme of readings, workshops, and community events; and a Reading Room where visitors can browse and enjoy complimentary tea and coffee.
Deborah Alma said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to the Poetry Pharmacy – people come to us not just to buy books, but to seek solace and connection through poetry.
“Opening in York feels like a natural step: a city with such a rich literary and cultural history is the perfect place for our third home.”
The Poetry Pharmacy is now advertising for a bookshop manager with a salary of £30K a year. Find out more on their Instagram page.
Customers are very excited by the York opening. One said: “This is one of the best experiences I had in London: getting to know (by chance) this incredible place.”
Number 20 Coney Street has stood empty for a few years, and was previously home to a Carphone Warehouse.
The Grade II listed building has an interesting literary connection, as Oxford Literary Guide to the British Isles states that famous poet Percy Bysshe Shelley stayed at 20 Coney Street in October 1811.
It says: “Shelley’s letters state that he was stayed at Miss Dancer’s, Coney Street, and from contemporary local newspapers that Miss Dancer was a haberdasher and perfumer on Coney Street.”
To find out more about the Poetry Pharmacy, visit their website here.
