The Edinburgh Bookshop - new space

by Marie Moser in Edinburgh, United Kingdom

The Edinburgh Bookshop - new space
We did it
On 15th July 2024 we successfully raised £25,491 with 354 supporters in 67 days

We’re moving to a new space in Bruntsfield and need your help to turn the old Oddbins into a bigger, better bookshop for our community.

by Marie Moser in Edinburgh, United Kingdom

The Edinburgh Bookshop is a small, energetic local bookshop that is open 7 days-a-week, all year round and has been at the heart of its Bruntsfield community for the last 14 years.  In an average year the Bookshop runs 104 story times for the under-5’s, has over 50 author events, hosts four different monthly book clubs, takes authors to multiple local schools and supports fundraisers for over 40 charities.

The Edinburgh Bookshop has been named “Scottish Independent Bookshop of the Year” five times in the last ten years and “UK Children’s Bookshop of the Year“ in 2014 at the British Book Awards.

We have outgrown our physical space both in terms of the busyness of the shop and in terms of having no admin or stockroom space from which to run it!  We are delighted to be taking over the long neglected Oddbins site, but we don’t want to just add more bookshelves. We are determined to create something magical where adults and children alike can immerse themselves in the wonder of  books.

Moving to this site will allow us to simply do more. We will stock a greater range of titles, gain a separate children’s fiction room, have places to sit and read, and be able to hold most book events and book clubs in the heart of the shop.

Restoring the building to its former glory is going to be a huge task and, unfortunately, costs more than we have saved in the Bookshop Piggy Bank! For this reason, we are launching a Crowdfunder campaign to help make this next chapter a reality. If you would like to see some of our ideas for the shop, we've included some photos down below so that you can see the ideas your donations will help bring to life!

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Rewards

This project offers rewards in return for your donation. Please select a reward below.

£500 or more

0 of 1 claimed

£500 or more

Maggie O’Farrell will attend a meeting of your book group in person! A unique chance to have multi award- winning author Maggie O’Farrell attend your book group for a meeting you will tally about for years. (Edinburgh or London groups only, please)

£10 or more

£10 or more

All donors will also be listed on The Edinburgh Bookshop website and on the "Supporters Window" on the new shop building

£50 or more

£50 or more

Write a review of your favourite book and have that book featured with those selected by other customers on a special shelf for the first month of the shop's life. All donors will also be listed on The Edinburgh Bookshop website and on the "Supporters Window" on the new shop building

£100 or more

7 of 9 claimed

£100 or more

How a Book is Made - Behind the Scenes at Birlinn Ltd. Meet the team of award-winning Edinburgh-based indie publisher Birlinn Ltd. From editorial to production, design to marketing and publicity, get an exclusive behind the scenes look at how a manuscript is turned into the book on the shelves of your favourite bookshop. The tour is for up to 5 people for 2-3 hours on a weekday afternoon.

£150 or more

22 of 54 claimed

£150 or more

Have your name permanently placed on one of the chairs that will be used at book events. All donors will also be listed on The Edinburgh Bookshop website and on the "Supporters Window" on the new shop building

£200 or more

9 of 18 claimed

£200 or more

Spend a half day as a Bookseller! You will be selling and recommending books, stocking shelves and learning lots about our ancient trade. You will also receive a souvenir apron All donors will also be listed on The Edinburgh Bookshop website and on the "Supporters Window" on the new shop building

£300 or more

4 of 25 claimed

£300 or more

Sponsor an individual bookseller for a week. During your week that bookseller will wear a T-Shirt that reads "This week I am sponsored by.." All donors will also be listed on The Edinburgh Bookshop website and on the "Supporters Window" on the new shop building

£500 or more

1 of 3 claimed

£500 or more

Go for Afternoon Tea with Alexander McCall Smith! Be one of four people to enjoy a private Afternoon tea with one of Edinburgh's most prolific and best loved authors. All donors will also be listed on The Edinburgh Bookshop website and on the "Supporters Window" on the new shop building (Please note the timing of this reward will depend on fitting in with the authors' busy schedule.)

£1,000 or more

1 of 5 claimed

£1000 or more

Host a private evening for you and up to 12 of your friends in the bookshop. Glasses of fizz and canapés will be provided. Guests will receive one of our new cloth bags with a pre-publication proof book in it. All donors will also be listed on The Edinburgh Bookshop website and on the "Supporters Window" on the new shop building

£1,500 or more

0 of 10 claimed

£1500 or more

Free entry to all Edinburgh Bookshop events for a year, and a signed copy of the featured book. (We average around 40 events every year). All donors will also be listed on The Edinburgh Bookshop website and on the "Supporters Window" on the new shop building

£100 or more

7 of 7 claimed

Be one of the first 12 Customers in the new shop

A maximum of 12 customers will be allowed in to shop privately in the new building an hour before we open to the rest of the public. You will be presented with a signed, numbered reciept in a special wallet as a souvenir and be the first owners of one of our new cloth bags. All donors will also be listed on The Edinburgh Bookshop website and on the "Supporters Window" on the new shop building

£200 or more

1 of 1 claimed

£200 or more

Advice on getting your book published! A one-to-one session with David Bishop- lecturer in Creative Writing at on the MA at Napier Univesity, and author of over 20 novels . In you session David can advise on approaching agents, your cover letter and your synopsis - or answer any other questions you have. The session will las approximately one hour. N.B. Unfortunatey David will not be able to accept a manuscript to read.

£200 or more

1 of 1 claimed

£200 Reward

Get advice on getting your novel published in a one-to-one chat with super-Agent Jenny Brown. In you session Jenny can advise on approaching agents, your cover letter and your synopsis - or answer any other questions you have. The session will las approximately one hour. N.B. Unfortunatey Jenny will not be able to accept a manuscript to read.

£250 or more

1 of 1 claimed

£250 or more

Become a character in a crime novel due to be published next August. Author Lin Anderson will name a character named after you in the next novel in her fabulous series about Forensic Scientish Rhona Macleod.

£500 or more

1 of 1 claimed

£500 or more

Keep your favourite Booksellers working at their optimum potential by funding our tea/coffee and biscuits for the next year! All donors will also be listed on The Edinburgh Bookshop website and on the "Supporters Window" on the new shop building

£500 or more

3 of 3 claimed

£500 or more

Go for a pint with Ian Rankin! Be one of four people to go for a private pint in the Oxford bar with the creator of the iconic Inspector John Rebus. All donors will also be listed on The Edinburgh Bookshop website and on the "Supporters Window" on the new shop building. (Please note -timing of the outing will depend on Sir Ian's schedule!)

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