Vellichor Books was launched in 2023 to provide a safe, inclusive and independent book shop in Stoke-on-Trent City Centre.

“Vellichor as a word means the strange wistfulness for the scent and atmosphere of a used bookstore and it captures everything you might want to know about what we’ve created,” said Vellichor Books owner Mitch Hughes.

“Our city centre retail space is packed full of comfy chairs, used and new books to buy, somewhere to make a comforting brew and space to gather, in our ‘Room of Requirement’, with friends and family to play board games, celebrate a birthday or enjoy an author evening.”

Vellichor Books is a relaxed, welcoming, LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent-inclusive space where people can read, browse, enjoy a coffee and meet like-minded people.

Over the past 12 months it has hosted 10 books signings including with the children’s author Alex Foulks, four book launches, talks and poetry readings.

It is currently hosting a photography exhibition by Phil Shallcross in its upstairs space. There is a monthly book club called Chapter 25, part of a UK wide network of book clubs that encourage new perspectives and great conversations. Other one-off events have included ghost hunts and a life drawing class.

Mitch added: “At the heart of Vellichor is our desire to create a community that can come to love our shop and what we offer, as well as the city centre. We want our customers to build confidence in their lives through books, connection and in the city itself.

“We have created a community atmosphere with the other shop owners in the city centre and work closely with the city centre BID team which helps us from a business support point of view as well as ensuring that we never miss an opportunity to be part of the bigger picture in Hanley.”

Vellichor Books has entered the High Street Impact and Start-up Business of the Year categories of University of Staffordshire Business Awards.