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Independent publisher Accent Press is to open Octavo’s, a new bookshop, café and wine bar in the heart of Cardiff Bay’s creative quarter.
The 120 sq m premises is on the ground floor of an old Victorian hotel on West Bute Street in Cardiff Bay, where Accent Press’ new self-publishing company, Octavo, is also located.
Hazel Cushion, founder and managing director of Accent Press, said she felt the timing was right for a “vibrant book café” in an area that “offers a mix of upmarket residents and office workers”. She said: “Cardiff Bay is the creative centre of the capital city and there was an obvious gap in the market as there is no bookshop in the area”.
Inspired to create a space that “offers a very convivial atmosphere where people can relax, browse and shop”, Cushion decided to open the hybrid bookstore as a creative hub for the community and visitors, offering “good food, coffee, wine and books”.
The addition of the shop will create a “virtuous circle” for the Accent Press business, tying into its publishing and self-publishing arms: “[The shop] will be a wonderful place to promote and sell Accent authors and also, through running writing workshops and book groups, a place to attract new customers to our Octavo publishing service”, Cushion said.
The food offering, created by chef Dave West, will concentrate on using local produce. It will be supplemented by special gourmet and themed pop-up nights in the 40-seat café. The shop will also host a number of events, including “book dating” nights, author classes, and networking and writer-in-residence events. These will be organised by Accent’s newly appointed events co- ordinator, Emily King.
The shop will be opened officially by author Katie Fforde on 4th June.