tticus

Bespoke Country Bookstore

It’s somewhat surprising to find such a unique and cosmopolitan enterprise as Atticus in a tiny country town like Foster. It’s the kind of shop you’d expect to see in a trendy inner city location patronised by chic hipsters. It was the leap of faith by local Foster woman Liana Casson who, despite naysayers, decided to follow her many passions and open a retail space. She hoped others would come along to join her, and they have.

Liana, originally from country towns in the Riverina, moved to Melbourne to attend Uni.

She studied Art History and women’s history and after she obtained her degree, wanderlust took hold and she began to travel. She journeyed across Europe and the UK, always working to self fund her adventures. She would return to Melbourne, work some more and travel again, within Australia and abroad. Her many jobs in book shops, retail and hospitality would hold her in good stead for her unexpected future career!

Her unfolding story involved marriage, two daughters and side steps into other careers of Interior Design and Art Curatorship. A natural progression into property development evolved with several house projects along the way. Trips to the coast of South Gippsland inspired a love for the area and a move to Foster.

With her daughters older and herself single, Liana decided to take the plunge and filled a gap in the local market by opening Atticus Bookshop Gallery. The shop is inspired by one of her favourite books — To Kill a Mockingbird — and the main character Atticus Finch. The bird/ finch is a drawing of a local finch species from Wilsons Prom.

Once a central shop was secured in town her design skills came to the fore in developing the space. On a limited budget she created a layout that had to combine books, gallery space and a café. The café part was a slow organic idea from initially just having a small, limited option to now occupying a third of the space. It has become a meeting place and vital community hub for many locals and a special discovery for visitors to the area.

Atticus has a warm and friendly vibe that cannot be manufactured but just happens because of the feeling of the place and most importantly because of the infusion of something special that Liana creates. She is like a ‘Chatelaine’, the mistress of the house, who is in charge of the hospitality of her guests. Her laughter often rings out across the shop and she covers every aspect and is available to answer any question on books, art or the café. If she doesn’t know the answer, she will endeavour to find out for you.

From day one of opening in November 2023 people have come to discover what is on offer, many becoming regulars, some on a daily visit. The use of the space has evolved as needs arose. What was initially destined to become a display table for books soon became the central shared table in the café area where several seats surround it. Groups will sit together as well as single customers. Sometimes spontaneous conversations occur between different customers or at times people are happy to have their own company. It’s a relaxed, comfortable place to be with others with no pressure to mix if you don’t wish to. Others who may live alone find it an ideal situation where they can interact in a safe and congenial environment. The big comfy couch is a favourite spot! You may find someone knitting quietly in the corner as they sip their latte or others chatting quietly and enjoying the general ambiance of the place.

Liana says the first few months were “terrifying” as she found her feet and her way in a myriad of new roles. It was a steep learning curve coming to grips with all the paperwork, balancing ordering the right mix of books and letting the shop find » its own way. It soon settled into a natural rhythm as she tried different aspects and evolved, going with the flow. She credits a small group of supportive friends and a growing collection of loyal customers for being behind her.

There is much thought and deliberation that goes into choosing the titles that are available in Atticus. Rather than just provide a standard range, Liana has an eye on many areas to find her own interesting selection that really has been a very well received list of books for sale. As a member of the Australian Independent Booksellers association — BookPeople — she studies information they provide as well as looking at new releases and best seller lists. It seems that for a tiny independent book shop she has chosen well according to the feedback she receives and the authors she supports. Liana is thrilled to add Lyn Gallacher, former ABC journalist to the book team. Recommending books/ pairing readers with an ideal read is very much part of the experience and customer service Liana wants to provide.

Since it began Atticus has been the venue for book launches, exhibition openings and artist presentations with many more interactive happenings in the pipeline for the future.

Having Janine Garvey her Barista on board was a wonderful addition.

A rock chick from No Promises, Janine has developed the cafe area and introduced a fantastic range of Dimattina coffee, Belgian chocolate, wet chai, teas, iced drinks and more. And of late, delicious cakes and Prom Coast Icecream has been added to the menu. Regulars and new customers alike are extremely complimentary about all things the tiny café addition has added to the bookshop. The popularity of the cafe has meant a swag of fab junior part timers have joined the team.

In the gallery part — exhibitions are changed every 4 to 5 weeks. Sue Gilford, a talented South Gippsland artist, is also a part of the selection and curatorship of the art works that go on show. Together Liana and Sue make a formidable team and they’re constantly creating unique and different displays of contemporary artist’s work. A single artist may be featured or a group show around a particular subject. The variety of art disciplines covered include painting, ceramics, linocuts, assemblages, drawings, etchings, fibre works and many others. They have a very perceptive eye for what they wish to display and the conversations they wish to provoke. Atticus also has a select range of art supplies, the perfect place for locals and visitors to find tools required for a multitude of projects.

The creation of an experience like Atticus is something special and to have it in a small Gippsland town like Foster is quite amazing. No wonder that when tourists visit they frequently comment to Liana what a wonderful and unexpected thing it is to find a little gem like this nestled comfortably into its own little niche there.

The future for a bespoke place such as Atticus is very promising. You can’t just order the ambiance, generosity and friendliness that it provides by going ‘online’. You need to walk through the front door, browse the curated selection of titles on offer, gaze at the marvelous art works on display, order a coffee (to take away or sit down) and just forget about the outside world for a while as you absorb the feeling that it provides. I reckon that it could give “The Central Perk” off “Friends” a run for its money, (and actually surpass it!). Come and make friends of your own there… gl

Address

34 Main Street, Foster Vic

Opening hours

Mon – Fri, 8.30 am – 5pm Saturday, 8.30am – 2pm Sunday, 10am – 2pm

Phone (03) 5611 7983

Email hello@ atticusbooksandart.com.au