David Brass had sold the business to an American firm, and they needed some help. My name was suggested and I agreed to a day a week consultancy. I gave them a lot of sound advice and recommended that they move to a ground floor shop. The Vere Street offices were no good for a firm dealing in the carriage trade. In Manhattan, space is limited so they build up in the air.
People think nothing of going to see their solicitor or bookseller on the tenth floor.
But in London people like to go in and out of shops, and you can't change the mentality. I had the door of my shop open in the summer and people would come in and look around. When I closed the door, they were more reluctant to come in. Imagine trying to get them to go upstairs - immediately they feel committed to buying something. I enjoyed my bookselling and my name was good in the trade.