The progress of The Big Comfy Bookshop

On Monday the tenants of Fargo Village including myself, invaded the place to start measuring up all the units. It was the first time we could all see our units with the partitions in them as before it was one large space. I could finally see what was in my head and start filling in all the gaps. Although only in for half an hour, I still manage to take 56 photos. I measured every bit of space imaginable so now can go back to the drawing board and properly see how to make a shop. I took along my sisters boyfriend Richard, who is a plasterer, van driver, handyman and all-round nice guy. With his expertise we discussed ways to treat walls, coat old beams, lay floors and basically be the most masculine I have ever been. Richard was also a hit with a few other tenants as they dragged him away to view their units! Below is a selection of photos from the visit.

I'm now scouting through various flooring departments (including secret ones known only to Rich!), plus trying to figure out the optimal layout. Alongside this I'm also looking into the catering licenses needed, the music licenses needed, the cost of X,Y and Z which have all been researched to high heaven but now it's coming to the final stretch I feel I need to familiarise myself with what I need once more.

My head is swimming with dozens of questions, and my to-do list, that I keep on my phone, is getting longer. Every time I cross something off, something else pops up.

I also last week met up with Alison Smart who will be, along with Claire Avery, making me cakes. Alison is a friend I've known for around 10 years and she's just started to venture into cakes and they taste delicious. I also contacted Claire as last week she had a baby! Cakes and babies don't mix so it's good there are a few months before she'll need to bake for the shop.

One major decision I have taken is to close the online shop. Although initially it made a great start, it did dwindle and the past few months it's been hard to find the time to keep adding stock. I was invited to try eBay free for a while and already it's been great so I'll be selling online through that for a while instead. If you now type in www.thebigcomfybookshop.co.uk you'll find yourself straight back here on the blog although a new website will be coming soon. Have a browse of the eBay shop HERE.

Overall it is picking up pace and I don't think I have enough hours in the day. I'm now off to post a book order, buy some graph paper, get a haircut ready for a video, call my new bank...

Michael.

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A long overdue update

There has been quite a lot going on in the past 3 weeks since I last blogged. Apart from Easter, my birthday, my wife's birthday and a lot of time spent with my family, I have been trying to cram in as much bookshop work as possible. So first and foremost the shop.

We've been told by the lovely Fargo Village people that we should be able to enter Fargo in July. Just 2 months away! I'll then have X amount of weeks to get the empty shell up to scratch to house thousands of books, delicious home-made cakes (from Clairey's Cakes) and teas and coffees. Since I found this out I've been scouting for bookcases. So far I have around 7 that I've managed to pick up cheap (or even free) from eBay and Gumtree. I've travelled to Coventry, Market Harborough, North Leicester somewhere and Solihull to collect them then store them alongside my mountain of books, my desk and other titbits. I've yet to solidify the design of the interior but have roughly estimated I'll need 24 bookcases. I have my eyes on a few tables and chairs too, as you need to sit down in a comfy shop! The big red sofa will be purchased close to opening as I have nowhere to store it! 

I have a stall again at this years Earsldon Festival. Last year it was THE best experience and also where I met Jo from Fargo Village. The festival is currently ongoing and culminates in a street long celebration of local traders with loads of entertainment on May 5th, Bank Holiday Monday. Come along and say hello (and buy a book).

Last year at Earlsdon Festival

Back to the shop, I will be looking for local people to chip in to help with several things. First off the basics like painting the shop, but also people to make signs (and fit them), help organize events (anything be it music, comedy, clubs ets), artists to design posters and other things, plus volunteers! Just 2 days ago I had a brainwave to have local artists create a bookmark for the shop so I'll have around 6-10 special ltd edition bookmarks that both showcase their work and promote the shop. I've had a great response too!

I'll shortly be launching a crowd funding scheme to help give the shop a massive boost when it opens. I've come up with some great rewards for those that donate. That'll be active in a few days.

The bookshop music sessions have already started. The Big Comfy Sessions was hosted at The Tree House Bookshop in Kenilworth with Wes Finch playing the first one, filmed by Rob at Redwood Photography along with Richard at TheSpoonPlayer blog. These will be regular sessions filmed exclusively in the shop and we'll be getting local and touring bands and solo artists in to film one song. A larger blog is coming very soon about this but in the meantime check out Wes doing his thing on the website www.BigComfySessions.com.

There will be several book reviews coming soon including two of my favourite books I've read this year. 

Finally this site will soon be transformed. The online shop (www.thebigcomfybookshop.co.uk) and this blog will be amalgamated into one brand new website. All this while the shop is creeping ever closer!

Please like the Facebook and follow me on Twitter too.

A final thank you to my beautiful wife for getting me the BEST birthday presents!

Michael

An update on the status of The Big Comfy Bookshop

On Tuesday evening I was invited along to the Fargo Village tenants meeting. This meeting also included a walk around the site. From the outside the place looks the same as it did in November but stepping indoors I can see a lot of progress has been made. The place has been sandblasted, cleaned up, doorways cut out and partitions have started to be put in place to divide the place into the units. As my unit is on the corner, the architect has decided to change my doorway from what it was, with it now facing a more central direction and including a large window. I think this will be better.

The roller doors will be my front door, partitions still to be put in

We were shown the rest of the village and it's all at varying degrees of completion. Once the walk-around was completed we shuffled along to the Fargo Office and started the meeting. About 20 tenants were in attendance along with Jo and Steve from Fargo and Wendy from the Federation of Small Businesses; a very valuable woman to know! Each person shared what they hope Fargo will become and what they will bring to the village. I brought a book. I know, original right? But not just any book, I bought The Legend Of Everwinter by local author Tara Behan and artist Matthew Hill, to showcase that I'll be involving local talent in the shop, with both of them hoping to have an author reading, discussion and workshop.

The Fargo Family checking out progress

We were shown through exactly how far Fargo has come since building started and what to expect over the next 6 months. The question on everyone's lips was obviously 'When does it open then?'. We were given a pretty good idea of when we can access the village, start creating the shop and eventually opening, but I won't divulge that here. I know in the past I've said 'Nearly there!' then it's delayed again and trust me, it's so frustrating, but as long as we don't get a blizzard or wind like the past month, then all should be ready VERY SOON.
I came away very positive. The unit was bigger than I recalled and definitely has a lot more height so I'm wondering how to fill all that room with wonderful things.

My front door

I've started to slowly buy up things that the shop will need. Bookcases are a priority but I know where I'll be purchasing them from. One worry was that I'd need to fork out for a counter soon. In a bitter-sweet email from Tinderbox Toys in Earlsdon it turned out my problem was solved. This lovely local shop that's been open for 5 years was shutting its doors, so they offered me a few things. I snapped up their counter amongst other bits and bobs. I also started to buy a few pieces from eBay. I couldn't resist this Roald Dahl cushion cover.

I have also set up an eBay shop to help shift a few more books and it's going OK. Early days yet. View the shop HERE and buy something. Please.

Finally, I've been confirmed to have a stall at the Earsldon Festival on May 5th. Last year it was the best experience I'd had since starting The Big Comfy Bookshop and was the catalyst for me joining the Fargo family. Have a look at what's going on at the festival and pop down!

Michael

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The Fargo Family - Meeting everyone at Fargo Village

On Tuesday I had the chance to attend the very first tenants meeting at Fargo Villege. Around 15 or so tenants already signed up to Fargo got together to chat on Far Gosford Street in Coventry, ask questions and generally get to know each other. It was a very successful evening with ideas being shared between us. The meetings will become fairly regular and keep us up to date on the works going on on the site, offering us help with finances, new businesses, marketing and anything that we feel we need.

(l-r) Beadlebop, Big Comfy Bookshop and RogueArt!

The go-to guys at Fargo, Jo and Steve, are very much approachable and open to any ideas and worries we all had and we were mostly given an answer straight away to questions asked, with other queries being taken away so they could research them and let us know next time.

Below is a list of businesses and people who will join me at Fargo. With just under 50% of the place rented, and it still to be built, places are going very quickly so at the next meeting I'm looking forward to saying hello to more new people.

These are off the top of my head and if I can find a website/link to them. Please check them out by liking/following or just spreading the word of Fargo:

Beadlebop Design - Facebook
Karmen's Kreations - Website
Iris Aperture - Website | Facebook | Twitter
UTI Creative - Website
Astral Gypsy - Website
Twilight - Facebook
RogueArt
Urban Coffee Co.

More TBC.

And of course Fargo Village! - Website | Facebook | Twitter

And me!
The Big Comfy Bookshop - Website | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube

Michael
 PS. Man Booker Fever hitting! Shortlist announced!