Joyce Cochrane had just discovered she was pregnant when she and her partner Ian gave up their jobs and moved from Edinburgh to revive a former bookshop in Wigtown.
With no stock, no shelves in the shop, no accommodation and having no retail experience they were gambling everything on a dream.
Now they are celebrating their 20th anniversary running The Old Bank Bookshop, one of the largest and most vibrant literature-related businesses in Scotland’s National Book Town.
‘We had been to visit family in Newton Stewart and were driving home to Edinburgh on Easter Sunday when Ian mentioned his dream of giving up our jobs and opening a book shop in Wigtown,’ Joyce said.
‘He fully expected me to tell him not to be so daft and nearly drove off the road when I said yes – I didn’t know I was pregnant at the time, but I think the ‘happy hormones’ made me agree.’
One day, after spending time looking for the ideal place, they were told the Old Bank Bookshop was available, and by the afternoon they had made the deal.
The building had been expected to be turned into flats, so was completely stripped of fittings when they received the keys.
But locals, including fellow bookshop owner Shaun Bythell, all mucked in and helped them build shelves and refit the place.
The shop’s former owner John Carter was so delighted that it would continue as a shop that he accompanied them to auctions to buy books.
‘Wigtown is a magical place,’ Joyce said.
‘There we were, me a five-months-pregnant ex-librarian and Ian an unemployed English as a foreign language teacher, and the community came together to help us succeed.’
By the time the shop finally reopened Ian and Joyce had been joined by daughter Helena.
Joyce and Ian the day they collected the keys to the Old Bank Bookshop
Since then they have become mainstays of the Book Town, of the annual Wigtown Book Festival, including sponsoring events and hosting guests like former cabinet minister Alan Johnson.
Joyce is one of the leading volunteers, supporting the town’s world-famous Open Book Airbnb.
She was also a member of the WFC Board for 12 years and served on the Book Town Development Board.
Anne Barclay, Operations Director of Wigtown Festival Company, said: ‘Joyce and Ian’s contribution to the festival, to the Book Town, to The Open Book and now to our new Friends of Book Town scheme has been incredible.
‘It doesn’t matter what you ask them, they will throw themselves into it wholeheartedly.
‘And we’ve asked some pretty bizarre things over the years – like if they would be happy to have turkeys and alpacas in their garden.
‘Whatever it is, they smile, chuckle and say yes.’
To celebrate the 20 years of opening on 17 September, customers will be offered a glass of fizz and there will be a giveaway of 20 books.
Read more of The Good Books here.
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