Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
All Good Bookshop in trouble
Hi, I know this is about a commercial organisation, but I think it is more than that, it has , through the efforts of those involved become a valuable community resource. I checked with Hugh before posting.
Those of you that know about it, know about everything it does. So, do please add your own messages of support to this post.
I had also wondered if we might be able to do a sort of crowd-bombing day where we all go and buy stuff.
For those of you that don’t know it, rather than being primarily a big bookshop it is now a smaller bookshop that can order any book you care to name, same price as new on Amazon I think. But Tim and co have forged relationships with schools and other community organisations over the years since they moved from the Big Green bookshop site.
And it is now a venue, for low priced comedy nights, a Haringey Arts festival you may not even know about, adult education classes, reading groups and a host of other stuff.
You can find out more and get on their mailing list via their website https://allgoodbookshop.co.uk .
This is where they are - 35 Turnpike Lane, London N8 0EP.
They are run as a co-operative. I am just on their mailing list and will not benefit financially if they do well though I might buy ‘shares’ in the co-op now as think they need it. They have, like many others taken a hit from Covid and survived but it seems like current factors may prove too much.
They sent out this email this week. Apols for lengthy post.
So, you may have seen on twitter that it's been a slow couple of months. Between a heatwave, holidays and a cost of living crisis that we're very aware of, we understand why the bookshop hasn't been packed.
But we won't be able to survive if this is the new normal. We need to, basically, make more money than it costs to run the shop, and we haven't done this for the last two months. And the feedback we get from people is that the All Good Bookshop is a valued part of the community, and people enjoy the arts events we're putting on.
The good news is that helping is straightforward. Here are three simple things you can do to help:
1 - Come to our events, especially next weekend at the Haringey Arts Festival. We're running events from £3 entry for this (and BYOB). We've got spoken word, cabaret, comedy, live music and a publishing masterclass. You can even buy a pass to all the events for just £30. Info and tickets here:
2 - We have shelves full of books that people have ordered but not picked up. We order based on the trust that you'll pick up and buy the books you ask for - so please, if you have something ordered, come and pick it up.
3 - Buy books (you can order by email, phone, tweet, or coming into the shop and asking for it).
We're aware things are difficult for a lot of people right now. This is why we've reduced the price of some of our events - if this is a cost-effective strategy for us, then we'll do more of it.
(There is a fourth thing you can do... tell everybody you know to buy their books from us!)
Thanks and we genuinely hope to see you soon.
Tim, Carmel, Stephen and everyone else at the All Good Bookshop.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ruth Valentine on
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This is a wonderful community resource. I'd encourage anyone who cares about books to buy shares, not with a view to profiting, but to keep it going.
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Permalink Reply by EMC2 on
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I've bought shares (£100), they entitle you to a 10% discount, doesn't take long to get your money back, be a real shame if this goes under. Tim hasn't drawn a salary for several recent months. Support this Co-op by buying your next few books from here rather than Amazon. You can tweet/email orders.
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Support all this.
I'm a long standing member of the writing group (which welcomes new members and pays the shop a rent.) It supported me through to publication as it has others.
More about the writing group on Meetup and FB (Look for All Good Bookshop Writing Group). All genres and ambitions welcome.
Join the shop free newsletter to keep in touch with what is going on. Buy stuff from them. Support their events.
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I went to the baby and toddler pre school story session this morning
It was. Brilliant. Great books, humourous and some songs too.
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There’s another way of helping: if you order any book online through uk.bookshop.org (a webaite that acts as an antidote to Amazon and lets you order from independent bookshops across the country), you can specify All Good as your bookshop of choice. They’ll get a share of the commission form all your purchases through the site as well as the mark-up on books you order directly from them through it.
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Thanks Don,
I think that's a useful site in general and for those living further afield, but I checked with the All Good Bookshop about ordering through Bookshop.org and their reply was:"It is MUCH better to order from us directly. We would only see pennies from Bookshop.org - if you want to help a shop, it's always better to go direct..."
So, if you live locally, please order direct from the All Good Bookshop - details below, website allgoodbookshop.co.uk. And if you do order, please remember to collect and pay for your books!
Call us
Just call us on 0208 341 0783. We can tell you right then and there if the book you want is available, how much it is, and how long it'll take you. We also deliver locally in the Haringey area on Mondays.
Email us
Email us what you want on control@allgoodbookshop.co.uk. We'll let you know when it comes in and you can pay when you collect, or we’ll send you details of how to pay by PayPal or over the phone
Tweet us
Tweet or DM us at @allgoodbookshop with what you want
,and we'll get back to you. You can pay when you collect or we’ll send details of how to pay in advance
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Maria — Thanks for the clarification. Yes, obviously better to order direct, but the website could still be helpful if you need delivery but aren’t in the shop catchment area or can’t get in to pick up.
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Permalink Reply by JulieB on
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It's a brilliant book shop, and actually much more than just a shop. Tim (and Simon) were fantastic when I was Chair of Chestnut School's PSA a few years ago. Very supportive, helpful and excellent people.
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It's so good to have a friendly community bookshop in the area but these things don't survive without support. I definitely urge anyone who hasn't checked it out to visit and/or call to order books (but don't forget to collect them and pay!) or go to one of their events. So much goodwill went into ensuring that a community bookshop remained in the area when the Big Green Bookshop closed - it would be such a shame to lose it again for the sake of a few pounds here and there on Amazon.
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