well folks...finally.

having mentioned this to Mike B some weeks back....i finally opened my bookshop

got to the point that i was sick of working for other people and just wanted to do something myself, that i enjoy and makes me happy. won't make me a fortune, but frankly i don't care.

so we opened the doors yesterday. it still needs some finishing touches but will get there in the end....the major haul is out the way.

just thought i would show a few pics i took earlier today on my phone (tell a lie...Saskia took them), lots more to put in there yet...but ran out of funds to get more bookshelves

enjoy!

take care, Al

Great to hear about this Al!  Glad you are doing something you enjoy rather than working for no other reason than to make a buck.  After awhile it gets old and no amount of money can make up for all the lost time and wishing you had done something else with your life.

Neat little store.  I especially like the movie posters on the wall (well except for Masters of the Universe, that was a bloody awful flick).  It's a nice touch.

So what did you end up naming the store?  Al's Booknook?  

Well done, Al, and best of luck.  I mean it sincerely.

I have the utmost respect for those who have the balls to go it on their own.  I know it's a tough row to hoe, and wish you success however it is you measure it.

Great news, Al!  I wish you all the best with this endeavor.  By the way, what is the name of the store and what type of discounts do the Acaeumites get?

Congratulations, Al.  Very nice.  You have now become what I always wanted to be -- the owner of a bookstore.    

bombadil wrote:And so Mandelbrot has died.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/us/17mandelbrot.html

The world a lesser place.

Indeed.  I remember learning about Mandelbrot when I was in college, and his book was only a couple of years published.  He single-handedly changed how mathematicians thought about complexity.  A true genius.

hey chaps

like i said things are still unfinished - its taken 7 weeks just to get it to that stage - bar for a few things, most of what you see has all been done myself. damn hard slog, but quite satisfying too.

the name of the shop is pretty damn unoriginal - quite a few arguments over that - ended up calling it "Liscard Book Exchange" - Liscard is within Wallasey on the Wirral (about 30 miles from where i live) and is where Kaz lives. We are apparently the only book shop in Liscard, so its quite nice having folk come in expressing their joy that they have a book shop to visit again! as to whether things work out or not, well i can only try (as everyone else). at least i did try!

as to advertising mike, thats in the works...will take a little time, as time/resources allow, you know how it is. time was spent wholely just getting it sorted to this point. but as always, word of mouth in this area is very very strong (gossipy type area) - most of who have come in so far has been like that ("we heard from Joe down the street, who heard from Gladys in the newsagent" etc).

john....believe me, masters of the universe   that was kaz's one, she wanted that. i wanted a poster of Nightbreed. ah well there is plenty of room for more

in one pic, you can see kaz and saskia. that section there they are looking at is all wicca/pagan/shamanism blahdey blah (her thing). the walls are currently blank there as i am waiting to hear back from an art lecturer, who came up with a great idea of some of her best students advertising their art on my wall, as an outlet to possibly sell (with me getting a commission for advertising etc) - so we shall see what comes of that - its getting harder and harder in this area for folk like that to even get their stuff in a gallery (cost is high atm). i have expressed that the art has to be topical/relative to the books in that section, so art of faeries/witches/dragons/magic is currently being looked into - will be interesting to see what comes back on that one.

there are loads of other posters you can't see. but i have had loads of folk wanting to buy them (easily available in HMV and off ebay)

but hey, its all fun. sass was there with me yesterday and really enjoyed herself - its a good little family thing. my aunt rita (who is actually doing out family tree and is back into the 15th century or something sheesh) she told me just some days back, that about 100 years ago, the family was well known for a book shop we used to have in liverpool!!   how about that for a turn up for the books no pun intended there.

as for RPG, thats already in the works too i have put up a few things as i had some cool magazine racks, so a nice way of putting judges guild items for all to see (already had some interest in the art on it, never seen it before, i must come back and check them out etc) and i believe i am the only person in north west england with judges guild products in their shop   some shelving will be going up very soon, and i will be advertising/selling my RPG stuff as well. guy across the road, thinks he is so cool with his collectibles....wait til he sees mine!

but as they say, there ain't nowt as queer as folk, lemme tell you - already in the first two days, have had some real odd bods in - the tastes are so varied its bizarre.

i even had the old cliche thing...guy waits til all leave the shop then comes to the counter with a book relating to sex   was very amusing, but hey, i am not one to judge like that (bites tongue) - to each their own.

but thanks for the kind word chaps - it will be fun. so hopefully now each week i can save a little away and have enough to get to GenCon or texas again (which i would really like).

on the upside, i opened a box yesterday, to find a beautiful copy of a 1968 PB copy of return of the king - US release....art is fantastic on it - never seen it before. even had a sci-fi geek comment on it as i was looking at it. didnt even know i had it, so its always nice to find things like that.

well back to doing stuff for me (am under orders to relax today) sheesh ....

Al

Blackmoor wrote:Congrats Al, I am sure it will be a very rewarding business for you

can only hope so! but thanks

it better be a success - still need to plan a visit to Canada

hope all is well Jeff, catch up soon.

Al

Kingofpain89 wrote:
That's a stroke of luck.  If you lived here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hay-on-Wye

Then everyone in town would be saying "Oh great....another flipping bookstore".  

ah you should go there - its a great place. if you are into books and the like, its one of a few places in the UK to go visit. its very well known for its 1st editions, rare, manuscripts and other unique items - not cheap either....but the shops are really cool, proper, bookshops how i always vision them and very seldom are.

one thing my dad said when he came over the other day "you have books everywhere, theres so much clutter" thats the idea - everywhere someone looks, i want books. got more work to do from that perspective yet, but i will get it how i want it.

lyme-regis is another place to go which is similar to hay-on-wye (that place is on the south coast appx 320 miles from me)

http://www.lyme-regis.com/

best, Al

Bracton wrote:
Gotta love the English when it comes to place names.  

Liscard is like say Manhattan. Manhattan is in New York. Liscard is in Wallasey.

The Wirral is part of a county, like Cheshire, Yorkshire, Wiltshire for instance.

Al