LOCAL PHOTOJOURNALISM
Caroline Vining
Dotted along the streets of St. Andrews are the local businesses which have stood the test of time, tourists, and transition. This winter, I took a National Geographic photocourse on telling the story of “Your Place”, which inspired me to document some of the people and stories which are easy to overlook as a university student in the town. I spoke with and photographed two locals in particular: William (Bill) Anderson and Pat Doods.
Pat Doods is a native St. Andrean who runs the Harbour Cafe in the St. Andrews harbour. Her late husband was a fisherman here and Pat continues to play an active role in the harbour life by helping to raise and lower the bridge to let boats through. The Cafe, which is a go-to spot for fishermen and tourists alike, will celebrate its 40th anniversary this summer. Up the cathedral hill at the end of Market St sits Bouquiniste, a rare and secondhand bookshop. The shop, owned and run by Bill Anderson, has one year on Pat’s cafe.
While Bouquiniste may not be able to challenge bookstore chains in size, it has an idiosyncratic collection ranging from classics to local history. The Harbour Cafe and Bouquinsite, and by extension Pat and Bill, are part of the fabric of St. Andrews. Local businesses reveal what a town values and for St. Andrews, a well-priced bacon roll and rare books clearly have staying power.
This article first appeared in PRISMA, Issue 5.