Stung Dymocks huffs out of town so Ursula creates own brand

The familiar red has been replaced with stark white on blue as Sai Kung’s one real bookshop evolves from Dymocks to Kidnapped.

Owner Ursula Huber said she had elected not to join another franchise chain, but to stay independent.

Burned by high rents, the Australian chain, Dymocks, had upped stakes and huffed out of town. “Basically it means no change,” Ursula said.

“We have been operating independently for more than half a year. We order directly from the major publishers since we opened five years ago.”

Change will be limited to the name, logo and colours, Ursula said. 

Downstairs there will still be books for adults, upstairs children’s books and a toy section.

The name Kidnapped comes from the Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic. “Books have the wonderful power to draw you into their own world, waft you away…” she says on Facebook.

“Kidnapped emphasises the adventure of reading, the spirit of discovery…”

Kidnapped’s new logo was designed by local resident Ellie Rampton, owner of Biscuitmoon Designs, Ursula said. “She did a very good good job, understanding what we were about immediately.”