The Heath Bookshop: Kings Heath's award-winning home for books, coffee and community

When Catherine Gale and Claire Dawes met on a Booksellers Association course about how to start a bookshop, they could hardly have imagined how quickly their idea would flourish. The Heath Bookshop opened in Kings Court, a courtyard just off Kings Heath high street, in September 2022, and it has since become one of the most talked-about independent bookshops in Birmingham.

The shop proudly announces that it won Independent Bookshop of the Year 2025, and it is easy to see why. From the start the pair wanted a place that welcomes everyone, stocking a diverse range of books in which the local community can see itself, with hot and cold drinks so visitors can linger. Its star attraction, the owners say, is the Kate Bush coffee table.

"We met through a love of books and a desire to be around lots of them every day," the founders said when they opened.

Events are a big part of the story. The shop has brought authors and broadcasters to venues across the city, including evenings with Clare Balding, Marina Hyde at The Alexandra and Philippa Gregory at the Old Rep, and it was chosen as one of six bookshops to host a special Booker Prize Announcement Party.

Then there is the festival. Working with fellow independents How Brave is the Wren and the Hare and Hounds, and with Arts Council England funding, the team launched The Heath Bookshop Literature and Music Festival in April 2024, holding 27 events across four days in venues including Kings Heath Library and the Oxfam Bookshop. The festival returned from 15 to 19 April 2026.

Community runs through everything. A Pay It Forward scheme lets customers round up their purchase to support the scheme, monthly book club meetings are free to attend, and an Album Club with Switch Radio offers a lively monthly discussion of a nominated record.

Book subscriptions, gift vouchers and online orders mean you can support the shop from anywhere, though a visit in person, coffee in hand, is the real treat.

Upcoming events and the latest news are on The Heath Bookshop website.