WH Smith

Thumbs up or thumbs down?
For it’s great range of greeting cards and wrapping paper, WhSmith gets a thumbs up. When it comes to books however, it’s a definite thumbs down. I spent fifteen minutes browsing the shelves and was horrified to discover they didn’t have a single book by Raymond Carver, Albert Camus, William Burroughs, Graham Green, Ernest Hemingway Carson McCullers or Cormac McCarthy.
Instead the shelves were packed with cheap celebrity biographies, real life tragedies, bloody, bare-​knuckle thrillers, beach friendly rom-​coms and cheap chick-​lit. Most of them seemed to be on offer at buy one get one half price but to be honest with you, I wouldn’t pay 99p for Katie Price’s Paradise.

Okay I know Edinburgh must have a million WH Smiths. And I know this is big chain store, the sort that helps put local independent newsagents out of business. But I have to put in a wee word for this WH Smith in particular.
I used to work in a gift shop around the corner from here. I would pass this shop every lunch break, frequently popping in. I used to buy nuts from here (the food, not that great female-​empowering magazine of topical articles and profound commentary) and occasionally a paper. It wasn’t the biggest, best or cheapest newsagents around, but the guy who worked (and I believe still works) behind the counter was the friendliest guy who I have ever had the please of being served by. Seriously. This wasn’t some extreme form of British irony. he really did love his job. He was always happy to help, MORE than happy. He always had a smile on his face, day in, day out. I actually got a lot of pleasure just seeing how contended with life this guy seemed to be. I personally couldn’t do it. My own experience of working full time in a shop was maddening. My hat goes off to people like him who clearly get a lot more out of life’s simple experiences.
I don’t need to describe him, you’ll know if he serves you.