The Bermuda Book Store is changing with the times. This according to bookstore owner Robert Zuill, who said the store has undergone a general upgrade over the past year and further changes in the pipeline.

Mr. Zuill, who took over the running of the shop about a year ago, said: "You have to change with the times; you have to modernise.

"We have installed a coffee shop upstairs, we have hired a new manager; Kiri Waite, and have increased the stock, widened the selection and cut the prices."

A Book Store web site and formalising the special orders system are among the developments planned for the future.

Although the shop is not carrying old and rare books, Mr. Zuill said that the store does have access to antiquarian books.

Mr. Zuill said, going forward, the shop's objective was to compete on the basis of price.

"We want to provide the best price and the most interesting selection - to appeal to both locals and visitors," he said.

Speaking of the shop's customer base, Mr. Zuill said it was hard to gauge if the shop has more local or visitor trade, although he hopes to expand local trade through the coming months.

Of the effect on sales from a downturn in visitors following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US, Mr. Zuill said the business had not seen an immediate drop in sales following the events.

And he praised new manager Mrs. Waite for making an enormous contribution to the revamping of the bookstore. She is responsible for the store's ordering - and Mr. Zuill said she has a wealth of experience from working in the industry for almost eight years.

Mrs. Waite said the shop now has a good selection of books - including British novels and a new-to-the-island line of calendars, cookbooks, classics and some children's books - book-related items.

Speaking of the run-up to Christmas, Mrs. Waite said the store recently received the latest Guinness Book of World Records. And on November 8, Randy Williams will be in the shop for the signing of his new book on Dame Lois Browne-Evans.

Among the increased selection of books, Mr. Zuill said the bookstore now had a greater selection of black authors.

Mr. Zuill said the shop also carries a wide selection of Bermuda books, and Mrs. Waite added her sales staff - who have been with the store for many years - have a wealth of knowledge about Bermuda.

The bookstore has been at its present location on the corner of Front Street and Queen Street since the 1920s. When asked if the site was still to be developed - the Development Applications Board (DAB) has approved development of part of that area of Queen Street - Mr. Zuill said; "There is no building project scheduled at this time."

Mr. Zuill has taken over the running of the shop from his father, the late James Zuill, who ran the bookstore for many years.