Everyone has heard of Willy Wonka, the magical owner of the incredible Wonka Chocolate Factory. But few know very much about Melbourne's own Willy Wonka, who ran a bookstore even more magical than the books it sold. E.W. Cole's Marvellous Book Arcade lived on the south side of Bourke Street, which sprawled over three stories of eccentric departments, and boasted over a million books.

In this episode, you'll hear from State Library Victoria Librarian, Jodi Kok, who decided to investigate E.W. Cole and even wrote an article about him on the State Library website. She’ll share everything about this magical place, and the even more magical man behind it.

Everyone has heard of Willy Wonka, the magical owner of the incredible Wonka Chocolate Factory. But few know very much about Melbourne's own Willy Wonka, who ran a bookstore even more magical than the books it sold. E.W. Cole's Marvellous Book Arcade lived on the south side of Bourke Street, which sprawled over three stories of eccentric departments, and boasted over a million books.
In this episode, you'll hear from State Library Victoria Librarian, Jodi Kok, who decided to investigate E.W. Cole and even wrote an article about him on the State Library website. She’ll share everything about this magical place, and the even more magical man behind it.

The Chapters is a show from State Library Victoria all about the incredible stories of some of Victoria's unsung trailblazers.

The Chapters is a show from State Library Victoria all about the incredible stories of some of Victoria's unsung trailblazers.

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