The Bookseller.com

12th October 2008

Simon Key has worked in bookselling since leaving school at 16. Formerly a Waterstone's bookseller, he will open an independent bookshop in Wood Green in 2008, along with his former boss Tim West. He blogs at woodgreenbookshop.blogspot.com.

Going independent in Wood Green

05.11.07

When the Waterstone's in Wood Green (where Tim West and I worked) closed, suddenly, in August, it was a bit of a shock. It was the only dedicated bookshop in the area, and there was a real mixture of anger and sadness in the community at the decision. An online petition 'Save the Last Decent Bookshop in Wood Green' raised 726 signatures in a matter of days, and there was a demonstration outside the shop by local residents on the final trading day.

Tim and I had a little chat
'What are you going to do?'
'Well, I don't really want to work in another branch'
'Why don't we open our own bookshop in Wood Green.'
'……blimey…..Yeah!

So we negotiated redundancy and set about doing just that.

As seems to be de-rigeur in times like these we started a blog, www.woodgreenbookshop/blogspot.com which charts our slightly chaotic journey from that little chat to now.

We recently ran a competition in Wood Green to name the bookshop, and sent competition forms to all the local schools, as well as getting the story in the local paper. We had around 500 entries and after heated debate and a few pints, the winner has just been announced on our blog.

We're planning on opening at the beginning of December if solicitors/landlords pull their fingers out, and we're approaching that time where we choose what to stock. I wonder if there's an easy way of doing this. One of the big things about a successful independent Bookshop is getting the stock right. I say 'one of the things', because if stock were the only issue then personality, inspiration, drive, customer service, organisation and individuality would be a waste of time and we might as well give up now. But it is massively important.

The stock we need in Wood Green is going to be very different from say the Barnes Bookshop, or Hatchard's, however . . .

This is a request to all you wonderful booksellers and publishers out there. Our book knowledge is pretty good; after all we've been working in this wonderful business for around 40 years collectively. But we also know we're fallible. What we're asking all you booksellers out there (if you have the opportunity) is to send us bestseller lists. We've listed all our important subjects on the blog (30/10/07), as well as the address to send the lists to.

To all you publishers, if you feel you have a strong backlist in any of the subjects we have highlighted, and want to send us lists/catalogues/free books, we may well be susceptible to bribes.

This is all done in total anonymity and if you send your address with the list, you will get in return a lovely bar of Dairy Milk Double Choc. It's almost too good to be true.

We know that we're going to have to spend a few days skulking around in Borderstone's, writing ISBNs down, but if we can also get a little help from our friends, then lovely.

We've been called cheeky, shameless and chancers. And what's so wrong about that?

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