Tuesday 19 September 2023

Bryan Barlow and his wonderful bookshop on Beech Road

There will be many like me who remember Bryan the Book with affection.

I got to know him during almost daily visits to his book shop on Beech Road.

It was an amazing place which was an Aladdin’s cave of second hand books which offered up everything from novels to history books, volumes on growing plants and back numbers of Punch, Picture Post and even Women’s Weekly.

Many of the books I bought from Bryan are still on our shelves and I continue to like the idea that shops like Bryan's allowed a book a second and even a third chance to be read, liked and treasured.

Some have even made their way via our lads to Sheffield, Leeds, and even Warsaw.

I always referred to the shop  as “Bryan the Book” while my friend David called him “Chorlton Man” and while there were many other sides to Bryan these two do help describe him and his contribution to the area and in particular Beech Road.

Picture;  Bryan’s Bookshop from the collection of Lawrence Beedle


6 comments:

  1. Such a marvelous looking shop. It really is a shame it's gone.

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  2. Yes, I bought many books from Bryan.

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  3. It was a great shop and he was a really nice chap.

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  4. Fantastic shop and Bryan is greatly missed by those who knew him.

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  5. Bryan was an artist too and contributed to the Chorlton Green newspaper.

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  6. I think he moved to Worsley and had a shop there.

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