One of Brussels' English-language bookshops is moving to a new location next week. From an array of second-hand literature to exciting workshops, here's what to expect.
After living and working across the UK and France, Aurore Carleton finally opened Unity Bookshop in Brussels in November 2025, a (mostly) second-hand English bookshop. However, as the space is owned by Hub Brussels, the Brussels agency for entrepreneurship, and was only a stopgap, Carleton and her team are moving to a new location just up the road on 8 May, and celebrating with a launch party.
Though Carleton had dreamt of opening a bookshop for 20 years, Brussels was never part of the plan. She was happily settled in the Scottish city of Glasgow, but ended up in Belgium when her partner received a postdoctoral position.
Finding Hub Brussels was a turning point for Carleton. The agency serves as an incubator for start-ups, housing them for several months while they trial run their concept. "They have been amazing," she told The Brussels Times.
She had five months to develop a finished product from November 2025 to April 2026, while also still working in restaurants. Now, she is finally ready for a relaunch in a new space just down the road, on Chaussée de Wavre in Ixelles.
Inclusivity and community
Carleton wanted the shop to be as inclusive as possible and feel accessible to everyone. After hosting a recording of the lesbian podcast 'Pas peu fières', which resonated with her customers, she created a more developed LGBTQ+ book selection. She also hosted a panel of Palestinian writers, who helped her build a great book selection on their history and culture.
In terms of books, much of Unity's initial stock came from a secondhand bookshop in Edinburgh, called Tills. But her shelves have also evolved thanks to events and to conversations with customers. She's just bought about 1,500 more books from Tills to improve the offer across categories.
Which books have gained particular traction? 'The Mushroom at the End of the World' has been "a mini-bestseller", as has 'Radical Abundance'. She's also had to purchase 'The Queer Parent' at least four times, as it keeps flying off the shelves. Books on anarchism, Palestine, and anything about English writer and music critic Mark Fisher or Russian philosopher and geographer Peter Kropotkin have also all sold well.
What to expect
What can visitors expect for Unity's relaunch? The shop has hosted many events over the last five months, such as crochet workshops, book clubs, and Valentine's Day drag queen bingo, and she hopes to invite more authors and host more artistic workshops and breakfasts with journalists in the months to come.
Carleton wants to continue to touch on activism and environmental topics, but also focus on more scientific, social, ecological, and political questions. She is already hatching plans for future panels: one on Congo, and another about sustainable agriculture.
Address: Chaussée de Wavre 83, 1050 Ixelles. Find more information here.
