Farrell’s Bookshop celebrates 40 years

Farrell’s Bookshop in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Farrell’s was founded in 1978 by Roy and Liz Farrell, who set up the shop in Mornington’s ‘Woolworth’s building’. A few years later it moved to its current location on the corner of Main and Barkly streets. When the Farrells retired in 1998, they passed on ownership of the store to Ian and Meredith Horton, who had previously opened and run Pages Bookshop in Kew, and who they had met through the Independent Booksellers Association of Victoria.

When the Hortons took over, Farrell’s had no computerised systems, so the pair began working to bring the shop into the digital age. Current manager Suzie Bull says Farrell’s has ‘continued to grow steadily since that time, fuelled in part by the changing demographics in the region from a significant holiday population to many more permanent residents’.

The Hortons’ daughter Kate still works in the bookshop, focusing on the events program and maintaining Farrell’s website and social media.

‘One of the loveliest aspects of having such longevity in the business is that we have multiple generations who are very proud to call it their local bookshop and hold great affection for the business. Some of those who grew up visiting Farrell’s as children now delight in bringing their own children (and grandchildren) in, and some even work for us,’ says Bull. ‘Our longest serving current staff member has been here an incredible 34 years!’

Farrell’s celebrated the milestone on 17 February with a birthday party in store.

Category: Local news