Waterstones shoppers have only just noticed it (stock image) (Image: Getty)
Customers have been baffled by what’s been described as an “unlikely issue” concerning a high street retailer’s signage, with some confessing they’d never previously spotted it. For book enthusiasts who’ve ventured onto the high street lately, there’s a strong likelihood you’ve stepped inside Waterstones.
Whether you’re perusing trending BookTok titles, examining the bestsellers chart, or searching for a literary classic after watching Wuthering Heights at the pictures and thoroughly enjoying it, they stock everything. Nevertheless, some observant readers have spotted what appears to be an inconsistency with the exterior signage at certain branches, and people are struggling to understand what’s happening.
Emma, who shares book-related material on her TikTok account @emmaslibraryx, asked: “Has anyone ever noticed that Waterstones is spelt differently? I’m confused?”
She subsequently provided examples of branches spelt ‘Waterstones’ alongside others spelt differently, displaying ‘Waterstone’s’.
Emma explained that she was accustomed to having a Waterstones nearby that was spelt without the apostrophe, but she observed that she “keeps seeing people’s TikToks” showing Waterstones spelt as Waterstone’s instead, and she wanted to understand why there’s a discrepancy.
Meanwhile, in the comments section of @brewsandreviews video where she highlighted the same matter, people suggested these must be “old signs” because “at some point, they removed the apostrophe” and chose ‘Waterstones,’ which is now standard across high streets. One woman noted: “It used to, but they removed it, so the older signs still have it, but newer ones don’t”.
“The app doesn’t have it just checked,” a second commented, indicating that any remaining signs featuring apostrophes represent outdated branding.
Somebody else said: “I’ve just had to check an old Bookstagram tag where I was outside our local Waterstones and it has for ours”.
A fourth person shared: “I feel like there wasn’t, but it makes sense that there is, probably some rich dude called Waterstone founded the store”.
In reality, considerable time has elapsed since the company opted to remove the apostrophe from its name, with the decision taken in 2012 to render the brand more “versatile” for “online use”.
Nevertheless, the decision attracted criticism at the time. Someone fumed on X: “Waterstone’s, don’t drop the apostrophe. McDonald’s and Sainsbury’s manage! You claim to play an educational role, not lead in dumbing down!”
More recently, observers have admitted they “can’t get used to the apostrophe not being there”.
Someone highlighted this on X, writing: “I’ve become viscerally and uncomfortably aware that there’s seemingly no cohesiveness on whether Waterstones go by Waterstones or Waterstone’s. Exhibit A: their website and app.
“Exhibit B: This picture of the Cheltenham branch they shared just now. And many more examples of this!” Waterstones addressed the concerned individual, explaining: “We’re definitely Waterstones without the apostrophe but some shops still have their old punctuation”.
So, there you have it! The spelling isn’t incorrect, and should you spot a Waterstone’s out and about, it’s simply “old punctuation”.