Fancy A Tweetup?

As some of you may be aware, one of my favourite bookshops, The Big Green Bookshop in Wood Green, is having a bit of a hard time.

Here is what Simon Key, co-owner, wrote in his recent blog post:

We absolutely love it here at the Big Green Bookshop. These have been the most rewarding 3 years of our working lives and we really don’t want it to end. The decision to open came about when the Waterstone’s we managed in the shopping centre nearby was suddenly closed with little warning. The public outcry at this decision made our minds up. After a lot of effort, a considerable amount of help from some amazing people, our redundancy money and a large loan from the bank for our stock and the building, we finally opened the Big Green Bookshop on March 8th 2008.

It’s just that we can’t really afford to have another nine months like the nine we just had, and despite all your amazing support we are struggling.

It was always our aim to try and be more than just a shop where you buy books, and since we opened we’ve tried to offer something for everyone:

• Author events including Will Self, Mark Billingham, David Vann, Karen Maitland, Christopher Fowler, Laura Dockrill, Magnus Mills and even Maisy Mouse!
• Musical evenings, film nights and historical walks
• Well over 300 visits so far to the local schools in Haringey, Enfield and Barnet helping them to promote literacy with author visits, talks, storytelling and whatever else we can.
• Monthly knitting groups, quizzes, writers groups and board games days (and we’re about to start a comedy night.)
• Two book groups.
• Weekly storytelling and singing for the under 5’s.
• Supporting local talent by holding book launches, poetry readings and talks by the cream of North London’s literary stars.
• Even a place to leave your shopping if it gets too heavy and to sit down with a free cup of tea or coffee.

The list could go on, but we hope you get the idea.

We sincerely hope that you want The Big Green Bookshop to remain here and value what we do and so we are asking for your help.

Our bank loan now has nine months to go until it’s paid off. This is our biggest single outgoing each month. Once the loan has been paid off we will be in a relatively stable position.

He then went on to ask, OK beg, his 1,000 loyalty card holders to buy just one extra book from them during their 3rd birthday week (6th to 12th March). If they could pull that off then they might just about be OK.

Well, this appeal has struck a chord with the many people who have been involved with the shop in some way. As publisher at The Friday Project, we held the launch of Like Bees to Honey by Caroline Smailes at the store. It was packed and we couldn't have asked for a more wonderful venue (although you might not want to use the loo). As a book buff I have entered a team for one of their regular book quizzes. We came second. It was a grand night.

Basically, I love the place. It was opened with the best intentions, has been managed and run with the local community in mind and its heart is in the right place. I don't think any business has a divine right to succeed but I want to see these guys get over this slump.

The great news is that since this appeal went out the shop has had some bumper trading days with all sorts of customers, old and new, coming in and spending money. Online support has been tremendous with blog posts and tweets alerting people to their plight.

Which brings me, finally, to the point of this post. I am organising a tweetup to support the Big Green Bookshop.

What's a tweetup? Here's what the Urban Dictionary says:

A group of friends on Twitter (social network) that are planning to meet up. A request by a user to meet with friends via Twitter.

An organized or impromptu gathering of people that use Twitter. (A meet up of people that 'tweet' using Twitter.)

A gathering of nerds attempting social contact, likely for the first time. Usually disintegrates into everyone running to the nearest computer to type to one another.

In this case it will involve a bunch of us who know each other from Twitter (and this blog), but perhaps have never met, all turning up at the Big Green Bookshop for an evening of banter and book buying.

So here's the deal. The shop is going to open late on Wednesday 23rd March. We'll all start getting there about 7pm. We should bring cake, nibbles and something to drink.

And some spare cash to buy a book or two.

Up for it?

Here's where to go. I will post updates and more details as I have them. If you do fancy coming along then I have set up an invite and RSVP page.

We are using the hashtag #BigUp.

See you online and hopefully see you there.

Comments

[emma townshend]

nearest tube or overland please !!xx

[DOT]

This is very noble of you. Have already bought and received my book. Would be interested in your opinion of how an indie bookshop can market itself these days. One of the great advantages of print is its immediate visibility. When introduced to a stranger's home, first thing I do is check out their bookshelves to see what taste they have in literature. Swift way of getting to know them. Difficult with an iPad or Kindle. I do hope BGB survivies this crisis - my fear for them is that it will be repeated unless they find a new formula.

[Lyndsey]

Ace! Thanks for publicising. Looking forward to it.

[Scott Pack]

Turnpike Lane or Wood Green are both a very short walk away.

[Scott Pack]

And thanks for supporting people, hope to see lots of you there.

[Judie La Flamme]

Many thanks for leading me to this wonderful site, Scott. My order awaits their shipping OK. I've never found so many books I want in one place. I especially love the Gallics.

Judie