Australian bookseller Philip Robinson, co-founder with his wife, Moira, of Robinsons Bookshop in Frankston, Vic., died June 10. In a message to customers, CEO Susanne Horman wrote: "Philip was in his late 90s and was a pioneer of bookselling in Australia. The two current owners, Susanne Horman & Andre Olschyna, met with Philip and Moira last year and Philip was full of stories of the book industry and had lots of photos to share of the early days."
The Robinsons opened their bookshop in 1963, "and it is now Victoria's oldest general indie bookshop and has grown to have 12 stores across three states," Horman noted. "To this day customers visiting the store mention Moira and Philip with great fondness and there is great support in the community for both of them and for what they have done together to bring books to the people of Melbourne. Our thoughts and best wishes are with his wife Moira, their children and extended family.
Frankston Mayor Michael O'Reilly issued a statement expressing sadness at Robinson's death and recalling that when the Robinsons opened their first store, "the Frankston Library was yet to be established, so it was a rare treat to find a bookshop anywhere... On behalf of Frankston City Council, I would like to offer my condolences to Mr. Robinson's family and friends during this difficult time. Thank you for creating an iconic and much-loved bookstore for us all to enjoy, and thank you to current owner, Susanne Horman for keeping Mr. Robinson's legacy alive and well."