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Hi everyone,
Ben here, on behalf of us co-owners. As I start writing this blog post, it’s after hours and I’m sat upstairs in our new book club room (if you’ve yet to join, there’s still a few spaces here!). I’ve been given the rather weighty task of writing what is perhaps the most important communication since we took over- maybe even more important than our grand opening.
As I type that, I’m looking out over the whole top floor of the shop and am brought back to what was there (and what wasn’t) only a few months ago, and how much we’ve achieved in a relatively short space of time. Everything from welcoming some of the biggest writers in the world, to doubling the number of schools the shop works with. From bringing in a stunning speciality coffee shop, to rebranding the entire place.
With that said, we’re not done. In fact, we’ve not even completed the initial plan. More on that in a second, but let me tell you a little story first about how that plan came to be.
This time last year, I was away for work, and Mum and Jess had tagged along for the ride. We were staring at the Hollywood sign, and trying to decide what to do for my birthday the following day (ask me in the shop what we did, if you really want to know!). We didn’t even have a vague notion of an idea that in just a couple of months, we’d be the owners of Simply Books. Sure, we’d always toyed with the idea of setting up a bookshop and especially for Karen and I it fell in the dream category, as we’ve discovered it does for so many of you, but we’d just come off winding down our previous bookselling business and frankly we were ready for a break.
Two months later, I was scrolling through the news on my phone when an article popped up saying Simply Books was for sale. My heart skipped a beat.
‘Mum,’ I called into the other room, jokingly. ‘We’re going to buy Simply Books, okay?’
Both Mum and Jess would argue that I wasn’t even remotely joking about it, and to be honest they’d be right. I just knew we had to go for it, and was quite happy to drag them kicking and screaming if that was what it took. That was fortunate, because kicking and screaming would be a polite description of the reaction.
‘Well, we’re definitely not,’ came Mum’s reply.
‘It perhaps isn’t the best timing…’ Jess said, slightly more diplomatically but clearly disapprovingly. We were all still dealing with the grief from my Dad’s passing and while each of us were at different stages, none of us were anywhere close to being okay.
‘It’s the best timing, I think it could be exactly what we all need,’ I protested.
‘It’s certainly not what I need, unless it comes with a pool and an aquafit instructor and the ability to go for lunch with a friend most days,’ Mum called from the other room.
I looked at Jess pleadingly.
‘Yeah, I’m with Kaz, if I see another book after How Novel I might cry,’ she said, more quietly.
‘So, to be absolutely clear, we’re not even going to entertain it?’ I asked.
‘No,’ came the response in unison.
‘I definitely shouldn’t email, just to enquire?’ I persisted.
‘No!’
I pressed send.
The next three months saw me spend as much time convincing my prospective co-owners that it was a good idea, as much as we spent time convincing the previous owners that we were the team for the job. Much of that saw me trying to make a case for the vision I had of what the shop could be, but for some reason I couldn’t articulate it as clearly as what I saw in my head.
Searching for any help, about two months into the dual negotiations, I dug into old notebooks I’d used when we were very close indeed to moving forward with the idea of opening a bookshop. One page in particular caught my eye entitled, ‘Concept’, which was dated 21st March 2019.
‘The Bookshop’ will serve its community as a market leading bookshop, that also acts as an ever-changing event and social space that evolves throughout the day.
In the day, alongside the bookshop, will be a best-in-class coffee shop that lives alongside the bookshop with seating and tables cleverly arranged around the shelves.
By night, in the week, the shop will turn into an event space with book clubs, classes and other events being available and more space in the middle thanks to collapsible tables.
Later in the week, the books on the centre tables will be cleared and ‘The Bookshop’ will turn into a wine bar, complete with atmospheric lighting and unique setting.
In short, the core bookshop element will always be there and available, it will just be alongside other aspects of the shop.
I couldn’t have summed it up any better, it was exactly what was in my head- and had clearly stuck throughout all those years, for some reason. When I showed it to Mum and Jess (likely for the second time), that chorus of ‘no’ switched to ‘yes’ instantly and we haven’t looked back since.
Today, after months of hard work from the whole team, we are so excited to announce that the final part of that vision is becoming a reality. From 23rd November, Simply Books will transform into a full service wine bar in the evenings, while keeping the bookshop at the very core of what we do.
Here, we will explain more fully on how the concept will work, but if you’re sold on the mere mention of wine and books in the same sentence and want to make sure you’re the first to experience it then head here to register your interest in joining us on opening night. Depending on the level of interest, we may put a booking system in place- usually, we will be primarily walk in. If we do opt for booking, people who do register interest will be the first to be able to secure their spot when booking opens!
You’ll also be entered into our competition to attend our private launch party on Friday 22nd! It’ll be packed full of authors, publishers, and the team and you’ll be amongst the very first to sample our new wine. We’ll handpick 10 winners (who will be able to bring a +1) on Friday, so be sure to register your interest quickly!
Well, much like a normal wine bar! We’ll be open right into the evenings everyday but a Sunday, closing at 9.30pm earlier in the week and being open later until 10.30pm from Thursday to Saturday. Earlier in the week will see lots of regular events like book clubs, writing workshops, and language classes but the whole space will be open for people to use however they would like.
Perhaps you bring a couple of friends to enjoy a glass of good wine surrounded by books, or maybe your only company is your latest read as you curl up in the corner and get lost in its pages. There will be table service throughout, meaning you don’t even have to move to get a top up!
One question we have had a lot is do you have to buy a book to come in? The answer is a very resounding no! All we ask is you buy a drink or two, but after that what you choose to do is up to you. Bring a book you’ve bought from us previously, or something you’ve picked up elsewhere- we won’t even be bothered if you bring your ereader! We want the space to feel warm and inviting for anyone, to come and use as a place to meet, to read, to chill and relax.
Of course, you can buy a book if you would like; one of the best parts of this change is that the bookshop will be open for our entire opening hours meaning if you just want to come for a browse at 8pm, you can- even if you don’t want to use the bar! The makeup of the team isn’t changing and everyone who will be on shift will be a knowledgeable bookseller who can talk to you just as much about your book as they can the best wine- though we are training the whole team on the latter, so expect some great book and wine pairings!
What we are really hoping is that many of you will come to use us as your go to space for socialising with friends, even without having a book in the mix. We’re going to have fantastic quality wines and literary themed cocktails, which combined with the cosy and plush atmosphere of the shop, we think makes for the perfect setting for an evening out. Our fantastic coffee will be available whenever we’re open too, and we’ll be serving several non-alcoholic and soft drinks alongside a range of great bar snacks.
We’ll be running regular bar-specific events on a Friday night from the New Year (like a quiz!), with three of the weeks each month being a regular fixture, and the fourth slot being used for whatever takes our fancy- think street food one month, then a murder mystery night the next.
To summarise, what we’re launching is a fantastic wine bar in its own right, that has the unique twist of being inside a bookshop- one that will be open for purchases and recommendations whenever the lights are on. We’re wanting to create a social space that you instinctively choose as your place to go on an evening out, but also one you’d feel comfortable in coming to alone with your book and curling up in a corner.
Books and wine, what more could you ask for?