Open Saturday!!

I've been so busy that this site was neglected. But we open Saturday! Here are pictures

I've also been heralded as one of the top ten places to visit at Fargo by the Coventry Telegraph

So busy!

Speak soon!

Michael

Opening this month!

Since I picked up the keys on Aug 4th it's been very hectic in my life. Firstly, the electrics were not actually finished so there was a week of frustrated twiddled thumbs whilst it all was put in. At the weekends I could get in and paint and I did just that, along with friends, family and strangers off twitter we managed to paint 95% of the shop in 2 days. The following week once the electrics were in I could tidy it up more nd finish the painting. I'm currently in the process of adding a border and counter, then shelves to go in at the end of the week.

One thing I didn't mention is that in the middle of all this, my wife gave birth to my beautiful son Sebastian, so that's been a bit of a blur!

There have been leaky ceilings, hanging wires, water pipes and general haphazardness. But it's still going to open on September 27th.
Here are a few pictures.

We're also full steam ahead with the Big Comfy Sessions and we managed to pull a coup with getting Emily Barker in with her new band Vena Portae. See the video 

How to open a bookshop: Prologue

On August 2nd it was a full 2 years since I left my job as a civil servant to try to follow my dream of opening a bookshop. There have been many peaks and troughs but I stuck to it and on Tuesday I pick up the keys to my new shop.

The plan now is to document every element of how the shop is progressing from the moment I get the keys to the sale of my first book. On this site I'm hoping to have daily pictures, tell you about the highs and lows, and generally, How To Open A Bookshop.

If I get the wifi sorted quickly then I hope to tweet a lot 'on the job' so if you're not already, follow me on @bigcomfybooks. I'll also be looking for lots of help! If you fancy painting a bookshop, or putting together a bookcase or two, or maybe even putting books on shelves then get in touch.

Here are a few picture from a fortnight ago.

Michael

New Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 1 trailer

The third in the Hunger Games trilogy is released at the end of the year and today the first proper trailer has arrived. The Hunger Games is one of my favourite book trilogies and so far the films have lived up to expectation. Let's hope the third will! The final book has been split into two parts with part tow coming next year.

It's released November 21st.

Michael

Happy Birthday to The Tree House Bookshop.

Tomorrow is the first birthday for fellow local bookshop The Tree House Bookshop in Kenilworth. It's been a stormy year and it almost never made it but the strength of the community pulled it through and it's starting, slowly, to turn a corner. The owner Victoria has put her heart and soul into it and is doing it for the love of it and not money, just the reason I'm opening Comfy Books. 

I've been over several times to the shop as they currently play host to The Big Comfy Sessions. Between Rob Bridge at Redwood Photography, Richard Harrison and myself we are eternally grateful to Victoria for being such an amazing host. The sessions consist of an act playing one original and one cover. The acts we have so far claimed are so good, we are blessed. Last weekend saw Radio 2 young folk nominee Luke Jackson play and he was phenomenal. His session will be online this weekend sometime. My favourite cover so far is this by London based Chains, covering Carol King's Will You Love Me Tomorrow.

The Tree House birthday plays host to TWO sessions tomorrow. Turn up from 11 to watch recording. The shop is open as normal and we don't ask you to be quiet or anything!

Michael

New Fifty Shades Of Grey trailer arrives

The biggest book of all time comes to the big screen valentines day 2015.
Here's the first trailer released today! Watch it HERE

The Man Booker Long List

Today saw the launch of the 2014 Man Booker Prize as the long list of 13 books was revealed. Usually I'd wait for the short list then read as many as I can but this year I'm so busy with the shop that it's going to be difficult BUT, it'd be great to run a Man Booker Prize night in the shop on the night the winner is announced.

Have a look at the list HERE. There are some noticeable absentees, for me The Goldfinch by Donna Tart, which was nominated for several prizes and also won the Pulitzer is a great surprise. It's also the first year that nations outside the Commonwealth are invited. It's proved controversial as there are four American novels in the 13 long listed. Over the next few months these will be whittled down to six when the short list is announced on September 9th, with the winner announced October 14th.

Michael