Our New Bookshop

Since we announced that we intended to open a new bookshop, back in November, we've kept rather quiet about it. This, as you may be aware, is not our style at all. Usually, we like to shout very loudly about everything we do.

However, because of the nature of the transaction, we thought it best to wait until we'd actually got the keys before shouting loudly about it.

WE'VE GOT THE KEYS

 

OK, here's a quick recap.

We're opening a new bookshop/toyshop in a small village in Hertfordshire called Brookmans Park.

It's about 12 miles north of Wood Green

 

Things about Brookmans Park.

•  It has a population of about 4,000
• The bloke who works at the ticket office at Brookmans Park Station is called Keith. He is a lovely man.
• Tulisa has recently moved here.
• Rumour has it that Miss Muffet (the tuffet person) lived in the area in the 16th century. One of the main roads in the village is called Moffat's Lane.
• It is 22 minutes on the train from here to Finsbury Park.
• Tracey Thorn was born in Brookmans park and used to have a Saturday job at the Post Office.
• Michael, the butcher sells the most magnificent lamb chops.
• In the village are 2 Indian Restaurants, 2 Chinese Restaurants/takeaways a fish and chip shop and a kebab shop. The kebabs are excellent.  
• One of the most popular shops in Brookmans Park is a dog grooming parlour called Groomers on the Green.
• There is a woods nearby called Gobion's Wood. Every year there's an incredible carpet of blubells there.

 

•  It's lovely

A commercial property became available, which looked interesting. It was originally a barber's shop, and the guy who looked after it wanted to move abroad.

We looked at the figures and thought there might be a possibility of us taking it over, so negotiations started.

 

That was back in November.

 

Sadly, negotiations fell apart and we were left with no option but to pull out of the deal. Things, however changed once again when the property was vacated and the landlord was still looking for someone to move in.

So we renegotiated.

And after about 10-11 weeks, today we have picked up the keys to this lovely little property.

 

There's a lot of work to do and we have to find tenants to the 2 bedroom flat above the shop (only £725 pcm, easy access to central London), but it is now a reality. We are going to open our second bookshop.

 

It's going to be a children's bookshop and toyshop and our philosophy to how we run this shop hopefully follow the same pattern as our shop in Wood Green. The aim will be to create a community space that Brookmans Park will be proud of. To work with the local schools and the council to get young people excited about books and reading.  

We can't afford to open the shop (we've had to borrow a bit of cash to help us do this), but at the same time, the opportunity was too great to miss.

 

We'll shortly announce a "Name the Bookshop" competition, which you're all more than welcome to enter, and when I have my phone back from the phone hospital, I'll take some shots of the inside of the property to give you a better idea of what it looks like.

 

This is almost more scary than opening the Big Green Bookshop (mark 1), but hey, it'll be fun. 

 

NB. A message to all children's publishers and toy manufacturers. Yes, we'd love you to send us lots of free stuff, that would be lovely.

22 Bradmore Green, Brookmans Park, AL9 7QR