Bert's Books - Physical Bookshop

Aim

Bert's Books has an opportunity to create an independent bookshop with a dedicated children's books section in a great location in Swindon.

Bert's Bookshop

Since launching bertsbooks.co.uk Bert's has been looking for an opportunity to launch a physical bookshop in Swindon. 

It's still early days but Bert is working with a landlord to create a bookshop in a great location in Swindon. In keeping with the Bert's Books green principles the shop will be located inside some custom renovated shipping containers.

The project has some funding already and, subject to contracts, will be going ahead later in 2020.

The design stage of the process is already underway with Birmingham-based creative agency Studio Able -  weareable.uk.com 

Why a crowd funder?

The costs of setting up a new physical shop are BIG. Legal costs, design costs, shop-fitting, equipment, stock, business rates, first-year rent... it all stacks up - and that's before the day-to-day costs such as staff, electricity, loan repayments, broadband, business rates... 

Without your help, Bert's Bookshop will be a small, basic unit that may not last beyond the first year. 

But with a little bit of extra money at the beginning Bert's Bookshop can be a fantastic addition to the Swindon community, complete with a dedicated Kid's Books area that can last for years to come.

More than a business

First and foremost, Bert's Books is a business... but it's more than that, too. 

Bert's Books wants to be a different kind of business. Responsible. Ethical. Fair.

Bert and his whole team will work hard to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible. 

Staff will be paid equally for the work that they do regardless of age, gender, race or sexuality and we'll work with the staff to ensure that the hourly rate is fair and not just the legal minimum. 

The majority of profits will be invested back into the business and the staff to ensure it can grow into a sustainable, profitable business that the staff can rely on. 

But doing the right thing isn't always the easy thing, or cheapest thing. That's why Bert's needs your help.

In the Community

Bert's Books is committed to trying to help make the world a better place in our own small way. 

Since June 2019, Bert's has been running an online initiative called #BuildaBookshelf. Each week a school provides a wish-list of 10 books which the customers of Bert's can buy for the school for just £5. 

Any remaining costs plus delivery are covered by Bert's Books. A physical bookshop will allow greater exposure to this initiative, but a bigger business will also allow better cost prices - which will ultimately mean more books for schools. 

With physical premises Bert's can expand the amount of work it does to benefit the immediate Swindon community. From space to host author talks to evenings dedicated to creative writing workshops the bookshop will be a hub for all sorts of community activity.

If anyone has any ideas that the bookshop could host, drop Bert a line!

About Bert (aka Alex) 

I was born in Swindon and have lived here all my life. I'm passionate about finding ways to improve this town for its residents, but also its reputation to visitors.

I've worked in bookselling for 16 years and I've seen first-hand the way that books can change people's lives. 

I believe that people who don't like reading haven't found the right book - or the right medium. 

Books - and the stories that they tell - are more than just stories. Whether they be fiction or non-fiction they can teach us about the world and help make us kinder, better people. 

This project successfully funded on 11th February 2020