‘I’m baffled by it!’: Exeter bookshop Bridge Books goes viral with 2.4 million views

A small independent bookshop in Exeter has found itself reaching a global audience after a short social media video filmed outside the store went viral, drawing millions of views and a wave of new attention to the city centre business.

Bridge Books, a Christian book and gift shop on Okehampton Street, saw its video shared widely on Instagram and other platforms earlier this month, generating more than 2.4 million views, around 131,000 likes and 56,000 shares. 

The clip has also been reposted by other accounts, with the owners said it has attracted hundreds of thousands more views elsewhere online.

The video, which features co-owner Mary Lee outside the shop, was created as part of the store’s social media output, overseen by staff member Anna, who manages Bridge Books’ online presence one day a week.

Watch the video here

Posted on social media, viewers found the video “hilarious”. One social media user, Jack David, posted: “They deserve plenty of business with that priceless marketing!” 

Mary said the scale of the response took them by surprise. “We had an amazing response which we certainly weren’t expecting,” she said. 

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“We had emails from people all round this country but also from America. We also had a phone call from a lady in Australia just calling to encourage us, and a Christmas card from a customer from the north saying the video kept him chuckling all week.”

The shop has since noticed an increase in people searching for Bridge Books online, visiting in person, or placing orders through its website. 

Gary Lee, who co-owns the shop with Mary, said the viral moment has helped extend the shop’s reach beyond its usual audience. 

“This has certainly increased our reach so that we have had people looking up our shop, or helping others to find our details and coming in to visit or ordering from our website,” he said.

Bridge Books, which has traded in Exeter for several years, specialises in Christian books, Bibles, gifts and cards. 

The shop is typically busiest in the run-up to Christmas, when customers are looking for cards, books and gifts connected to the festive season. 

Mary said the video also appears to have reached people who may not usually visit a faith-based bookshop. 

“This video has reached a wider group, those with faith and many with none or still searching,” she said.

The idea for the video came from Anna, who Mary said regularly brings forward ideas aimed at younger audiences. “Gary and I are nearly 70,” she said. “We are quite happy to leave all social media to Anna.” 

Gary continues to connect with customers through a weekly email newsletter, which has a regular readership of more than 1,100 people.

Although they hoped the video might perform well online, neither expected it to travel so far. 

“We thought this video would do well as Anna had seen something similar and thought it would work well for us, especially with an older lady doing something quirky and unexpected,” Mary said. 

“I feel quite baffled by it – pleased – but baffled.”

The shop stocks a wide range of titles, including Bibles, books exploring faith and life questions, biographies, and children’s and youth books. 

It also sends donated library boxes to schools across Devon and carries cards and gifts for a range of occasions. Mary said the shop’s long-term aim remains unchanged despite the sudden online attention. 

“Our goal is to help people access the Bible and encourage them on their own journey of faith,” she said. “We are here to present resources that do just that.”

Bridge Books is based at 3 Okehampton Street, Exeter, and is run by four part-time staff.

 The owners say they hope some of those who discovered the shop through the viral video will continue to engage with the business, whether online or in person, and feel welcome to visit the store in the city centre.