About seven ago while visiting Iceland's underappreciated northern town Akureyri, I stumbled across a charming used bookshop called Fróði fornbókabúð. The owner at the time told me that the name meant something like "learned bookstore". The shop was a bit of a confusing mishmash of books in multiple genres and various languages very poorly organized. But I recently discovered that the bookshop has been bought by a British couple named Stu and Ren Gates.
The new owners have spruced up the bookstore and brought sensible organization and shelving for the increased collection. Since acquiring Fróði fornbókabúð about five years ago, the expats managed to sell most of the books that were in the shop before they took over. Now, the bulk of the books on sale are their own — some were imported from the U.K., while others were donated or purchased from elsewhere in Iceland. The well curated catalog includes over 3o,000 titles. The oldest book in the shop is the first Icelandic Latin grammar book from 1651.
With added comfy chairs and free coffee, Fróði fornbókabúð has become a popular spot for both locals and tourists who are smart enough to venture north to Iceland's second largest town situated just 60km from the Arctic Circle.
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