Friends launch Yorkshire’s first bookshop to support female and LGBTQ+ authors

Two lifelong friends are writing a new chapter in their lives, after successfully launching Yorkshire’s first independent bookshop, dedicated to supporting the works of feminist and LGBTQ+ authors.

Juno Books, which is headquartered on Sheffield’s historic Chapel Walk, was founded by friends Sarah Scales and Rosie May after calling on help from the Launchpad Business Support Programme.

Now four months into their business journey, the fledgling entrepreneurs are setting their sights on creating a safe haven for book lovers to enjoy the works of authors that are often overlooked by the mainstream media.

Help came in the form of experienced business adviser Katie Keates, who Sarah and Rosie contacted through Launchpad: a free resource designed to help new and aspiring entrepreneurs in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw access support, training and advice to build and develop their business ideas.

The search for premises took nearly two years, but when they secured a lease on a property on Sheffield’s historic Chapel Walk, little did they realise that they would be adding a new story to a location that has played a pivotal role in Sheffield’s battle for equality for over a century.

The premises they chose are believed to have once formed part of a property used by the Sheffield suffragette movement. After opening the doors of Juno Books, which takes its name from the Queen of the Roman Gods, a customer provided them with a small bookmark dating back to the 1930s. The bookmark revealed that they weren’t the first bookshop to operate from the premises!

Since opening the doors to Juno Books last October, Sarah and Rosie are hoping to follow in the footsteps of the suffragettes by providing a safe and inclusive environment for South Yorkshire’s LGBT community. Today, the bookshop hosts regular reading groups and is planning to launch a series of meet the author events.

Sarah Scales, co-founder, Juno Books, said: “There’s something special about visiting a bookshop, feeling the book in your hands and exploring the works of different authors. There are some really interesting books being published by female and LGBT writers, and we wanted to challenge the perceptions of what’s available in the marketplace and build a business that reflected our own experiences.

“We knew that starting a business would be a life changing experience, and we needed to go into it with our eyes wide open. Neither of us had a background in business, and although we felt there was demand for our unique bookshop, before we could put our plans into practice, we knew we needed to understand what it takes to run a business.”

Katie Keates, Launchpad business adviser, said: “Launching a business isn’t something that happens overnight. In many cases it can often take time to develop an idea before acting on it. The launch of Juno Books was the culmination of many years of dreaming, planning and research, and both Sarah and Rosie knew that it was vital to understand their responsibilities as new business owners.

“The Launchpad programme was created to help entrepreneurs based in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw to access a wide range of support: from mastering the essential skills needed to transform an idea into a successful business, to benefitting from specialist advice to help nurture their business journey.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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