Chener Books

[RubyGraeme]

I popped in to Chener buy a couple of books today, there was a bit of a chat going on round the desk about what will happen when John retires next year...I don't want the bookshop to close and wondered what others thought?

Ruby Graeme

[siousxiesue]

I seem to remember John posting on here looking for interested parties to take over the lease/business when he goes, can't find it.

[DulwichFox]

siousxiesue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I seem to remember John posting on here looking

> for interested parties to take over the

> lease/business when he goes, can't find it.

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,1858837,1864776#msg-1864776

DulwichFox

[Sue]

John is hoping that it can stay a bookshop, but at the end of the day that may not be possible.

[dbboy]

community run bookshop??

[Sue]

I think you'll find the rent would be too high for that!

[alice]

if there's a gap someone else will jump in/ has done

[Sue]

Eh?

[RubyGraeme]

I think the freehold is owned by John, a community run bookshop sounds a brilliant idea....along the lines of The Ivy? Is there anyone out there who can advise?

[alice]

Didn?t mean jump in negative sense

[Sue]

RubyGraeme Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think the freehold is owned by John, a community

> run bookshop sounds a brilliant idea....along the

> lines of The Ivy? Is there anyone out there who

> can advise?

The Ivy House had grants and loans.

Its community shares are only a relatively small part of its finances.

And the turnover/profit on a pub is surely far far greater than anything a bookshop is likely to achieve, particularly given it is competing with the likes of Amazon, let alone Kindles etc.

Plus, it may sound a brilliant idea, but it needs a strong core of very committed and very hardworking people to make it succeed.

The Ivy House had (and has) that, and has gone from strength to strength, but I'm not convinced a small bookshop could work on a similar model.

[tomskip]

It will be a significant loss to Lordship Lane if it goes, but I can't see how any independent bookshops stay open these days.

[DulwichFox]

Cannot see any new person taking this place on as a book shop giving the same level

of interest and commitment as John Kennedy has done over the years.

DulwichFox

[Sue]

tomskip Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It will be a significant loss to Lordship Lane if

> it goes, but I can't see how any independent

> bookshops stay open these days.

Well there are quite a few independent bookshops staying open round here!

Apart from Chener, there is Rye Books in Upland Road, the bookshop in Bellenden Road, one in Dulwich Village, one in Crystal Palace. That's just off the top of my head.

ETA: And four of those are within easy walking distance of my house.

[natty01295]

Volunteers could run it

[Sue]

And the money for the rent and a manager would come from where?

[kibris]

Some people talk rubbish,if you dont want it to close down why dont you get a loan and buy the shop

[Penguin68]

And the money for the rent and a manager would come from where?

Presumably from the revenues and profits of being a bookshop?

[Sue]

Penguin68 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> And the money for the rent and a manager would

> come from where?

>

> Presumably from the revenues and profits of being

> a bookshop?

Being run by volunteers? Unpaid volunteers? As in a charity shop?

Do you have any examples of this working anywhere as a financially viable concern? In an area with rents on a level similar to those in Lordship Lane?

It would be nice to think it could work, but I really can't see it.

[tomskip]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> tomskip Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > It will be a significant loss to Lordship Lane

> if

> > it goes, but I can't see how any independent

> > bookshops stay open these days.

>

>

> Well there are quite a few independent bookshops

> staying open round here!

>

> Apart from Chener, there is Rye Books in Upland

> Road, the bookshop in Bellenden Road, one in

> Dulwich Village, one in Crystal Palace. That's

> just off the top of my head.

>

> ETA: And four of those are within easy walking

> distance of my house.

Yes, and one in West Dulwich too. I am surprised they can all stay open, given Amazon et al. Something like 50% of independent bookshops have closed in the past 10 years.

[Abe_froeman]

Apparently the Homemade Kitchen cake shop being stripped out on North Cross Road is going to become a book shop too.

[nxjen]

That shop was always being stripped out / renovated, never seemed to be open for more than a month at a time. For a cafe, the purple doors / windows were not very inviting.

[Sue]

Abe_froeman Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Apparently the Homemade Kitchen cake shop being

> stripped out on North Cross Road is going to

> become a book shop too.

Really? With two others within a five minute walk of it?

That seems strange, unless it is going to be very specialised.

[DulwichFox]

What is happening with all the stock ?

is there going to be a Book Sale.. ?

DulwichFox

[Sue]

It depends who takes it over and whether it remains a book shop, doesn't it?