Looking back on 30 years of independent bookselling
For 30 years, Tidewater Books and Browsery has been a staple within the Tantramar community and the independent literary world in New Brunswick. Tidewater carries everything from bestselling books, ceramics, to tote bags and tea, with each visit allowing customers to discover new treasures. To mark this milestone anniversary, Tidewater ran a promotion on Saturday September 27, where purchases were tax-free, and every customer walked away with a goodie bag, sponsored by Tidewater’s suppliers. After graduating from Mt. A Ellen Pickle decided to lay down some roots in Sackville, however, Pickle noticed something was missing from the town: a place for book lovers to gather and share their interests. At the time of establishment in 1995, Tidewater was the only bookstore in Sackville. “I went to Mt. A, fell in love with the community and ended up staying after graduating from Mt. A, and then fell in love with my husband, who was a biology professor. We knew that this was going to be where we were building our lives. I decided that since I always loved reading, and there was no bookstore anywhere in this area, that it was the ideal thing to do.” It was from this love for the town and for reading the idea Tidewater first set sail.
During its first 15 years in operation, Tidewater was located across the way from its current storefront on Bridge Street, occupying the space currently utilized by Ducky’s Bar. In 2010, Tidewater moved to its current location at 13 Bridge St., although Tidewater shared the space with a gift store called Crofter Gifts and Toys until 2017. After Crofter closed for business, Pickle went on to buy the building, expanding out into the rest of the space, and creating the current storefront. “I consider that kind of a milestone, because I love this building. It’s old, it’s creaky, it’s got that interesting mercantile feel. It’s perfect for a bookstore,” said Pickle.
There have been ups and downs throughout the years. In 2004, Tidewater opened a second location within the Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport, but ultimately shuttered the location in 2008. Yet, thanks to the creation of this second store, Tidewater forged a relationship with the Fry Festival – the largest bilingual literary festival in Canada, which is hosted in Moncton every year. For the past 20 years, Tidewater has been the festival’s official bookseller. According to Pickle, “Not being successful at the airport store actually led to a partnership that’s been very successful. So that’s how sometimes you can take something that’s not so good, and turn it into something good.”
When asked about her favourite parts of owning Tidewater, Pickle said two things: connecting with customers, and the books themselves. “I always said I love being around books, and being around bookish people.” She continued,“They’re engaged, they’re intelligent, they’re interested, the conversations are always fascinating.” Other highlights for Tidewater are building relationships with authors, previously hosting famed Canadian authors like Robert Munsch and Margaret Atwood.
Operating as an independent bookseller, Pickle has strived over the years to avoid corporate culture, creating a welcoming environment with an incredibly curated selection of books. “Independence is all part of how I think, and how I view the world,” she said. “So, independence is the ability to pick and choose what I carry, what I promote, who I hire, and […] all of my staff are very creative, unique individuals in their own right,” said Pickle. “There are no algorithms in the book selection here. I choose every book that goes on that shelf.” Along with her team, Pickle has created a diverse selection of books, representing works and voices across all genres.
Her final thoughts on the last 30 years were ones of gratitude. “I would just like to do a big shout-out, and say thank you to people for supporting us. You know, we wouldn’t be here 30 years later if we didn’t have community support,” she said. Pickle. Here is to another 30 years (and then some) of independent bookselling in Sackville!