Dillons the Bookstore

[4] Dillon had become involved in the book trade through running bookstalls for the Central Association for Mental Welfare after graduating from Bedford College, London.

[5] Dillon stocked both academic and general titles, believing that specialisation stifled curiosity,[4] and the shop prospered catering to the needs of staff and students of the nearby University of London.

[4] The outbreak of World War II saw the nearby University of London and Froebel College evacuated from London, but instead of closing for the war Dillon maintained contact with her customers and shipped orders to their new locations in Cardiff, Leicester and Hertfordshire,[4] while also building a new customer base with the staff of the Ministry of Information who were now established in Senate House.

[6] Although the initial proposal for a partnership fell through, in 1956 Dillon was again approached by the university, and agreed to use her stock and goodwill from Store Street to purchase a minority stake in a bookshop on the new site, on the understanding that the new shop would bear her name.

[5] Una Dillon retired as managing director of the business in 1967 – by which time the shop occupied the entire building and had an annual turnover of over £1m – but she remained as a board member until 1977.

[7] Inspired by the success of Waterstones, demonstrating the potential for large modern bookshops with a depth of stock, the new owners Pentos rapidly rolled out the format across the country, ultimately building up a chain of 75 stores.