Aren’t we full of prizes

THERE’S something much more to Fullers than just shelves lined with hundreds of books.

The bookstore’s manager Catherine Schulz believes their cross section of customers and the tranquillity of the shop — as well as a vast selection of books — sets them apart from others around the country.

Fullers has claimed the best Australian metropolitan bookshop, presented by independent bookshop group Leading Edge, for the second consecutive year.

Ms Schulz, who has been with the store for 28 years, said she had no idea Fullers would win the award last year, let alone this year.

“We were flabbergasted when it happened again,” she said.

Ms Schulz said there were a lot of elements of the store that contributed to its uniqueness, which appealed to a number of different customers.

“The people I work with and that I meet every day all know something about something and are interesting people,” she said.

“One person might know how to paint, one might know how to garden.”

“We’re not just a shop with books, we’re a destination.

“An interstate colleague ... said ‘It doesn’t just smell like coffee and books, I feel safe here’.”

But Ms Schulz also said a good bookshop was also made by its relationships with publishers and representatives, not just their customers.