‘I feel like this is something that Stockport has really been needing’
The arrival of Prologue comes at an exciting time for Stockport(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
“We’re actually quite bad when it comes to selling books,” Ben Johns, who is the co-owner of Simply Books in Bramhall, laughs. “We don’t really mind if you don’t always buy a book every time you come in. We don’t mind if people come for just a coffee or to sit-down to catch up with friends, as long as they visit us.”
Ben and his mother Karen this week expand their empire with the opening of new Stockport book shop slash bar slash events space Prologue. Set within the sprawling Weir Mill development, right by the Stockport Interchange, it comes at an exciting time for the town centre.
Joining the likes of the women’s-focused sports bar Rita Ray’s and wine bar Bodega – with Jane Eyre and Social Trattoria also very closely on the way – Prologue marks the exciting next chapter for the refurbed Grade II listed mill, which also includes 253 loft-style and new-build rental apartments.
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Alongside selling books, which range across all genres including crime, horror, young adult, and cooking, the space will double up as a late night coffee shop and bar, as well as an events space hosting book talks, open mics and comedy shows. It will also serve as a meeting space for book clubs, language classes and even jazz-infused chess sessions for those so inclined.
“I feel like this is something that Stockport has really been needing,” Ben says ahead of Prologue’s official opening on Saturday (October 3). “We’ve already had over 350 people sign up to our membership club. We’ve got over 30 different book clubs set up, and spaces have already sold out.
“We’ve got a club called Unhinged Women, which caters to a really specific subgenre of contemporary fiction, and we’ve already had to open more of those sessions just because of the demand. It’s lovely that we’re able to help people find their community here. That’s something we’ve always been big on.”
Ben and Karen’s Simply Books, which the pair took over in 2024, was named the North regional Independent Bookshop of the Year winner in 2025, and was also a finalist in the North England category for the Independent Bookshop prize at the British Book Awards 2026 putting it on the map nationally.
A longside cubby-hole seating, the space can be adapted and closed off for specific classes and events, and also has its own coffee shop and bar, offering a premium selection of wines, and beers, as well as cocktails and mocktails with literary themes. Pastries and sweet treats will also be on offer from Pollen and other local suppliers, with seasonal choices swapping out throughout the year.
On the drinks menu, there’s the O’Fashioned, taking inspiration from The Picture of Dorian Gray, with its Kerrygold-washed Tullamore, honey and tyme, the fig negroni cocktail featuring Plymouth gin, campari, fig and walnut (based on The Bell Jar), and the cosy toffee apple mocktail – based on Shel Silverstein’s’ The Giving Tree – featuring Bottivo 0% apple, caramel, ginger and cinnamon.
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Speaking about the space, Ben says it’s been designed for day-to-night operations where it will stay open until around 9pm each night, depending on events being hosted. “I think people are after spaces where they can just hang out and feel safe.
“We have a bar, but it doesn’t specifically cater around alcohol and I think that’s something that’s quite needed everywhere, not just in Stockport. Most people don’t like going to bars on their own, and so I think we can offer a really good alternative to that. We want people to come in, relax with a good book, enjoy one of our events, and just have somewhere to spend their evening without any pressure.
“We didn’t want to just come in and be a book shop – there are plenty of book shops about. Being a place that sells books is part of who we are, but we want to offer something a little different and really embed ourselves into the community.”
Already in the works in terms of events are talks with gothic romantasy author Adalyn Grace, on October 8, and Fifty Shades of Grey author E L James, on October 20, with many more to come from top writers and big names.
“We’re going to evolve based on what people want in terms of live music, comedy, and the events we host,” Ben says. “We have previously been quite limited with what we could offer but we have so much potential here and it’s really exciting.”
Prologue is on Unit 1, Fabric House, Weir Mill, 4 Woodhead Lane, Stockport, SK3 0GS.
