Chener Books

[SeanMacGabhann]

As it seems to have started to take over the Nero thread (that's cafe Nero, not Nigel)

Like almost everyone who has expressed an opinion here, I agree that the front of Chener books is a shocker. I understand that they can't be making money, and with the rumours of landlord behaviour doing the rounds they are probably squeezed even more. That said, the stock is great and I always come away with a couple of books and a warm fuzzy feeling

But if the village book shop, AND the new one on North Cross Rd can do something about their front I don't understand why Chener can't. Im no painter or designer but I'd nearly offer to supply the material and do it myself at this point...

Maybe someone from the shop would like to comment on any plans?

[SimonM]

Commercial leases usually impose upon the tenant interior and exterior decorating covenants, usually at 3 to 5 years intervals. I wonder therefore if Chener Books is in fact the freeholder of their site?

I remember when it first opened the back room was an Aladdin's Cave of second hand books, but they had to close it due to the - um - lightfingered nature of so many "customers"

Oh and the children's bookshop on North Cross Road now has some adorable teddy bears as part of its window display. These and the Starchy Gallery nearby make window shopping just now an absolute joy! >:D<

[QZ]

Interesting one. I love the selection of books that they have at the shop but the presentation is all bad. The addage "dont judge a book by its cover" is screaming out to be used, ironically, in this case. The dripping ceiling / bucket on the floor has been there for ohhh about 2 years now??! Must be some serious leak ;-)

I much prefer going into a bookshop, browsing and getting recommendations. I am happy (most of the time) to pay the price of the book rather than the soulless-ness of Amazon ordering. I reckon I avarage about 8 books per visit on a regular basis and these are full price purchases. Please please just tidy it up - clean the windows, get rid of the clutter by the windows and a lick of paint. It could be such a little hive of book worms (not sure that a hive is the correct collective noun for book worms - wordsmiths, any suggestions?)

:))

[mockney piers]

A vermicelli?

A spittoon?

A grout?

A ream?

A shelf?

[Huguenot]

A timewarp?

A study?

A dislocation?

A consumption?

[Jamma]

I went into Chener once in an effort to support my local bookshop rather than giving my custom to Waterstones or Borders or whoever. The book I bought came to ?8.99. I had ?8.98 in change in my wallet but the humourless guy insisted I pay by credit card. As I understand it the shop would have to pay a fee for the credit card use anyway so their cut would be less this way. Idiots. For the sake of 1p I haven't gone back.

[QZ]

Ohh, ream and study are my favs so far.

What about "a stack"? :))

Jamma, that is a real shame, for you and them. Maybe give them another chance this weekend?

[Ant]

A chapter?

[QZ]

Oh like Hells Angels worms! Love it!!

[mockney piers]

yep, am liking chapter, a sort of esoteric order of the forumites (a bit like the canaanites but with a xenophobic hatred of coffee emporia) feeling about it.

[QZ]

duuuude - big words for a friday afternoon ;-)

But, yes, a chapter of bookworms I think is the winner

[monica]

hy all happy friday.

A friend of mine has a friend who knows the guy who owns the place.Apparantly or allegedly the shop is owned by a guy who works full time.Thats what i heard anyhow

[blinder999]

someone called John Kennedy according to www.peckhamsociety.org

[Michael Palaeologus]

Ah, the grassy knoll.

Oh blimey, not a book repository thing surely? How spooky.

[shambles]

i love chener books - one of my fave shops in ed.

for the record:

i don't want it to smarten up - leave it alone!

[clare]

Sorry but no- Chener books is RUBBISH and we deserve a better bookshop in ED. If we had say, Crow on the Hill ( excellent bookshop Crystal Palace) on L Lane ED would be much better off.

[shambles]

sorry but no - disagree.

[Michael Palaeologus]

A compromise - the inside stays the same, the outside has a lick of paint.

I will pop in tomorrow and have a coffee at Cafe Nero.

[beth]

The lovely Review in Bellenden road is great - Roz is really lovely and will always be pro-active. My partner went to Chener to by me a hardback book and was simply told by the staff person that they don't sell hardbacks so he then went to Waterstones in town. A friend went their for a particular book and was just told they don't have a section on that so she went to Dulwich books where they ordered it in for her. I've been in there when people have come in and been simply told no we don't have it. I do try to support it - I love their community notice board but the sign (and bucket in front of the door) coupled by the lack of customer service by some of the staff does sometimes make me feel like they don't really care if I buy a book there or not!

[Michael Palaeologus]

I went in there to buy a few books on the Dulwich Book Club reading list. They didnt have any, so I bought them at Waterstnes and got 3 for the price of 2. They have the Book Club poster up on the info board and getting the reading list for the next year is easy.

They just need to smarten their act up a bit.

Perhaps if Waterstones or Books etc opened up on LL (next to Cafe Nero?) Chener would react positively to the competition?

HoHo.

[Huguenot]

Hmmm, I've ordered several hardbacks there, and received them within a couple of days. I even forgot to pick some books up and they kept them for 3 or 4 weeks. I know they don't order them ad hoc because of storage space, but they will order!

[SimonM]

It is still John Kennedy? As I recall, this was the guy who opened the place way-back-when...

[Pierre]

perhaps they should rename it "Black Books" then, by the sound of the service. ;)

[Huguenot]

Black Books?

[mockney piers]

It's a post 1980's popular culture reference Huguenot, you wouldn't have heard of it ;-P