Juno Books brings a queer and feminist bookshop to the heart of Sheffield

Some of the best ideas start in a back garden. For Rosie May and Sarah Scales, the founders of Juno Books, the spark came over a glass of wine in summer 2020. "Juno Books came to us as a fully formed idea over a glass of wine in Sarah's garden," Rosie told The Bookseller.

The pair launched Juno as a website in April 2022, ran a book club and popped up at market stalls including the Moor Market, then opened their bricks and mortar shop on Chapel Walk in Sheffield city centre on 8 October 2022. "We are so excited to finally open the doors to Juno Books," said Sarah at the time. "It has been a real labour of love for the past couple of years."

Juno is an intersectional feminist and queer bookshop, stocking adult and children's books with a focus on queer and feminist voices, new work and independent presses. From the start the founders wanted it to be more than a shop. "We really want this space to be a community hub," they told Now Then, adding that "making the joy of books as accessible as possible is really important to us."

Rosie also spoke about the need for "more daytime queer spaces that don't revolve around drinking", and Juno has answered that with book clubs, author conversations and events. Its Juno Reads book club began meeting both in person and online before the shop even opened.

The building itself turned out to have a fitting history. According to The State of the Arts, the Chapel Walk premises were a suffragette hub from 1908, linked to the Women's Social and Political Union, and a plaque marks the spot. "When we opened Juno Books, we didn't know about the history of this place. It was a special surprise for us," the founders said.

Juno has also become part of the city's wider literary life. Off the Shelf Festival of Words lists it among the Sheffield booksellers it partners with, alongside La Biblioteka, Rhyme & Reason and Waterstones.

Sarah Castleton, a Sheffield-based editorial director at Little, Brown, summed up the welcome many readers feel: "I know this will be a welcoming space for readers to find community."

Juno Books is on Chapel Walk in Sheffield city centre, and its events, book clubs and online shop can be found on its website.