What you need to know
- "Ghostwriter" was filmed at James Street Bookseller and Gallery in Hamilton in Ontario.
- The store was on the verge of closure due to low footfall.
- That's no longer an issue thanks to sightseeing visitors
Before Apple TV+ rolled into town, James Street Bookseller and Gallery in Hamilton, Ontario was on the verge of closure. Local traffic work meant that footfall had plummeted. But it turns out that being the location where a TV show is filmed is good for business. Who knew?
A report from The Hamilton Spectator explains the backstory of the store, with its owner saying that filming began in December 2018. It all started after a location scout turned up one day.
"Right at the end of this construction mess, a man walked into the shop and introduced himself as a location scout for Sinking Ship Entertainment and Apple TV+, " she said. "He was looking for a bookstore for a television show that was supposed to be Grandpa's bookstore."
At the time, things weren't looking great for the bookstore after months of construction work had left it worryingly short of customers.
"The entire sidewalk on our block was torn up and the railing out front was removed and replaced. The sidewalk and the road below were also torn up and the mural in front of the Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts was also replaced with extensive work done to the wall and stairs behind it. Traffic was down to one lane and closed off at times."
Apple TV+ filmed the show and it went live on Apple's new streaming service in November of last year. And the store doesn't seem to be struggling to pull people in anymore!
Ghostwriter premièred on Apple TV+ in early November. After word spread that James Street Bookseller was a location in the series, visitors from all over came to the store and shared their experience on social media. With the store's unique and eclectic design, it quickly became a popular spot for viral location seekers looking to share their adventures on Instagram.
Who doesn't love a story with a happy ending?
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