Beyond the café bookstore: How Gertrude & Alice's community-centric approach has been central to its success

The Bondi neighbourhood, like most, has experienced its fair share of small business openings and closures over the years.

… And then there's those that have stood the test of time, and become wholeheartedly ingrained in the local community.

Gertrude & Alice, which has been named in National Geographic's global Top 10 Bookstores list, epitomises the latter.

Established in 2001, today the café bookstore is a celebrated Bondi institution, and whether it's popping by for a quick morning bite, settling in for a longer linger to peruse the bookshelves, or connecting with fellow literary fans during a book club event, Gertrude & Alice caters to all.

It's this diverse offering, an openness to constantly evolving, local community support, and of course, passion for the written word that has been central to the continued success of the family-owned business.

Here Bondi-born and raised co-founder Jane Turner, and her children, co-owners Kate and Jordan Turner, share the Gertrude & Alice story, reflect on how Bondi has changed over the years, delve into their passion for fostering community connections, and reveal their favourite reads—ideal insight if you're seeking a new book to curl up with over the winter.

From L to R: Gertrude & Alice's Kate, Jane & Jordan Turner

Let's go back to the beginning… How did Gertrude & Alice come to be?

JANE: I worked in a bookstore in Glebe where I met former co-founder Katerina Cosgrove. Together, we had the dreamy idea to open a second-hand café bookstore. We wanted to have a creative space where locals drank coffee and shared conversations around a big communal table.

We hand-picked 40,000 books by trawling charity shops and garage sales, and found our first shop in Bondi in 2001. We brought the dream to life later that year, opening Gertrude & Alice, named after literary icons Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas—two women whose partnership and creativity deeply inspired us.

"From day one, we set out to create more than just a café or a bookstore. We wanted to build a sanctuary for ideas, connection, and community—and for over two decades now I think the shop has fulfilled that for many Bondi locals. We are now in our 24th year, which sometimes I find hard to believe." - Jane Turner

JORDAN: I was only six when it started but I really love the story behind the name of the store. Mum wanted to create a space for creatives, artists and out-of-the-box thinkers.

In the early 1900s in Paris, Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas–who lived in Paris but were American writers and lovers–would throw dinners and parties at their home because they felt there wasn’t a space for artists to share ideas during that time.

I like to say they developed their own little rat pack as Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Picasso were a few names that were in regular attendance. So I think those same ideals have been recontextualised in our store's communal tables and cosy space.

There are many friendships, relationships and discussions that have flourished from strangers because of this. It makes me think that Mum's done a perfect job of capturing and sharing the essence that Gertrude and Alice created.

What's the journey been like, in terms of both your fondest memories and some of the challenges you’ve faced since opening?

JANE: The challenges are ongoing and ever changing as any small business owner will tell you. Rising operational costs, cost of living challenges, staff availability and hospitality being seen as a fill-in job rather than a career.

COVID was definitely one of the biggest challenges for our business, and our community rallied to keep us afloat while we got through that time.

Some of my most fond memories are being able to work with authors that we love—like when Hanya Yanagihara and Ann Patchett came to visit us.

Having our own surf team for the SurfAid Cup in Bondi, watching the children learn to read–progressing from board books and becoming solo readers.

As they grow up they often do their work experience at the café. We hosted a wedding in the shop, there have been many proposals and all the babies. So it has to be the people for me.

KATE: Watching our little bookshop grow into a Bondi institution and being named in the top 10 bookshops in the world by National Geographic has been an incredible journey.

But without a doubt, the true highlight has been the friendships I've formed along the way. Meeting your favourite authors? That's just the cherry on top!

"The challenges? Running Gertrude & Alice hasn't always been easy—like any small business, we've faced our fair share of challenges. From navigating the ups and downs of online retail giants trying to destroy small businesses to adapting during COVID, it's been a rollercoaster at times." - Kate Turner

But through it all, our love for books, coffee, and community has kept us going. The hard moments have made the victories—and the connections we’ve built—so much more meaningful.

JORDAN: My most significant highlight is the same as Mum’s–Hanya Yanagihara always comes to see us when she visits Sydney, which feels so special. I hold her in the highest regard!

How would you say Bondi has evolved over the years?

JANE: It's constantly changing isn't it, but somehow it never loses its sense of community, and having grown up here you have to credit that to the locals who keep it real.

I still love the in-between seasons where we get Bondi back to ourselves and don't have to compete for beach parking or queue to get in somewhere. All the locals will tell you that they love the end of summer when the tourists and backpackers leave.

KATE: It's definitely not as quiet as when I was a kid! Back then, it had a real rough-around-the-edges charm—a lot less polished, but always full of character.

It was a real locals' beach, where everyone knew everyone, and the community was tight-knit. It almost felt like a little coastal surf town which it definitely doesn't feel like anymore! But I still love it and never want to leave, I think the Bondi spirit is something that will never go away.

"I remember it always being very family friendly. But I also remember Bondi being slightly more gritty when I was younger. It's evolved into a business hotspot with new brands activating here every week. It's kind of moved from this slowish-town into a mini Los Angeles beach town. I've never been, but I imagine the lifestyle values are the same." - Jordan Turner

What's it like working together as a family? How do you complement one another?

JANE: That's a tough one to answer as it does have its good and bad moments. I don’t believe that we would be here without the mammoth efforts the three of us and our long-term staff put in during COVID.

There's no stronger team than family. When I got breast cancer last year Kate took over the day-to-day running of Gertrude & Alice, and since then has taken on a lot more of the day-to-day operations to allow me to step back a little to recover. We all have different strengths so that enables us to stay in our areas when things become dysfunctional (as they often do).

KATE: Can I say it's rewarding and difficult at the same time haha.

JORDAN: I plead the fifth.

While many independent bookstores have sadly closed their doors in recent years, Gertrude & Alice remains a Bondi institution. What would you say sets it apart?

JANE: We are fortunate to have dual businesses so that when the café has a quiet day we often sell more books and vice versa. We are always looking to diversify in times of change and are open to opportunities that come our way—we sell online and have a merchandise range, for example, and that is solely Kate and Jordan’s project.

Our business is pretty consistent and we are very lucky to have that consistency and have it as part of our strength. We still have dishes on the menu that we opened with 24 years ago.

We do lots of events in store, at the Bondi Pavilion and Waverley and Woollahra Libraries. Recently, we have started Silent Reading Parties, which allow people to put away their phones and have a room of 50 people quietly reading. I love doing these.

KATE: I think what sets it apart is that it’s more than just a place to buy books and get a coffee, maybe it's the way people feel instantly at home when they walk through the door.

"The author Holly Ringland once described it as the beating heart of Bondi, and I thought that was pretty epic! We've built a community here, some customers have been coming in since we very first opened. I think it's really unique and different and something you can’t replicate easily." - Kate Turner

JORDAN: I agree with Mum and Kate, but I also think there is something undeniably unique about our store. You can lose yourself while you're inside, and it feels like you could be absolutely anywhere in the world. It's giving armchair travel. I don’t know any other place that feels quite like it.

What are your all-time favourite reads, and why?

JANE: It's forever changing as I read more than 100 books a year, but my favourites are: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, Perfume by Patrick Süskind, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry and A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.

KATE: Sorrow and Bliss Meg Mason for the dark humour and candid realness about mental illness. Betty by Tiffany McDaniel—it’s very traumatic but her writing style was so new and refreshing! Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart—I’m still not sure how someone can write about something so upsetting so beautifully.

JORDAN: Literally one of the most challenging questions you could ask anybody who is part of the book world!

"A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara will always be at the top of my list, seconded by Betty by Tiffany McDaniel, and followed by The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. All three have beautiful prose and each take me to the limits of my feelings and beyond. I love them all." - Jordan Turner

Tell us a little about your Bondi Literary Salon (BLS) initiative – what inspired it?

JANE: I had wanted to create a book club for many years. In 2018 after meeting Lucy Pearson, who had written about our bookstore in one of her articles, we created the BLS and now host in excess of 50 book clubs and author events annually. It’s a lot of work but I truly love that part of my job.

KATE: I just love that book club has really pushed me to read outside of what I normally would pick up, which is the whole point I guess! And I love designing the merch for fellow book lovers and the community it’s created.

What do you find is so special about our community?

JANE: When you have been in Hall Street as we have for 24 years now you see families grow up, start school, learn to read and children grow into amazing adults. Ella Sullivan, who used to visit in her pram ended up working here for seven years and running the place.

KATE: I think the community we have built has almost made it feel like coming home or sitting in your lounge room. It’s more than just a bookshop or a café, it’s lots of people’s safe space, which makes us feel special!

JORDAN: I sometimes feel that there is a little Gertrude & Alice bubble.

We have an incredibly loyal community that supports so much of what we do and is always there for us when we are wanting to try something new or do something out of the box.

This might be starting up the surf team, getting regular customers to host book clubs, or having fundraising bake sale days—where I think every one of our regulars contributed a baked good to raise money for the Black Friday bushfires. We raised over $10,000. I think we're so lucky.

How do you spend your days in Bondi – when working, and for leisure? Do you have any favourite hangouts?

JANE: I can always find a sunny spot to read but love breakfasts at Bill’s, The Shop & Wine Bar or at The Depot, bagels from Lox In A Box and a yummy dinner at Brown Sugar. I like to treat myself at Sage Beauty when I have time. We always like to support local when we can.

KATE: A swim at the north end of Bondi—it's the perfect reset after work or on my day off, and you never regret a swim!

I've recently started going to the gym at Icebergs, which I thought I'd hate but I really like, and if I'm not at the shop, I'm catching up with friends over a glass of wine at Roy's. I also highly rate the Sunday roast at Rocker.

JORDAN: I would never turn down a 6:30am start at Slow House Bondi. I constantly have cravings for a sandwich from The Shop & Wine Bar. And I will take any chance I can to catch up with friends over dinner at Sefa.

What's next for Gertrude & Alice, and any other projects you're working on individually?

JANE: I'm on a committee curating for The Rose Scott Women Writers Festival, which is taking place later this month, and am planning launches at the Bondi Pavilion for locals Rachael Coopes and her book, The Art of Forgiveness, and Clare Stephens, author of The Worst Thing I Have Ever Done, which is about cancel culture. I'm also reading like mad to lock in next season’s book clubs for the BLS.

"I'm currently creating a little menu with snack foods and delicious beverages to launch Gertrude & Alice After Hours. Imagine spending an evening before or after going out for dinner, being nestled amongst books with a glass of wine in winter!" - Kate Turner

JORDAN: We'd definitely like to push our antique and rare books that we sell online, so I think creating a social media awareness campaign to share that part of our business.

Not many people know that we have some really cool rare books for sale, like a first edition Ian Fleming or a signed Frank Sinatra biography! So that’s one of the things I'll be working on next.

Ready for your next read?

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