BOOK SHOW! Bookshop & Creative Space
My name is Jen Hitchcock and I am asking for your support in opening my dream store--an independent bookshop and creative space in Los Angeles, California.
This past year I got laid off when the company where I worked was taken over by another company. This was the wake up call I needed to reexamine my life goals and how I should be focusing my creativity, ideas and expertise. As a music journalist and creative writer I also wanted to find a way to work with and give back to the creative community that has inspired me for so long. How am I going to do this? I am opening an independent bookstore and creative space called BOOK SHOW.
BOOK SHOW'S MISSION STATEMENT:
Book Show strives to keep the art of the printed word alive by offering an interactive creative space designed for the curious mind. Book Show will provide an inspirational environment for the exchange of ideas, opinions and collaboration.
The name BOOK SHOW stems from my lifelong interest in the history of the carnival sideshow and roadside attractions. These enticing establishments were created and built from the ground up by entrepreneurial, independent spirits. These attractions drew people in and introduced them to a world of natural and technological wonders, and entertained them with unique, offbeat performances. BOOK SHOW will capture this same spirit in its mission to bring the physical book back from the fringes of the digital era and put it back in the spotlight. BOOK SHOW'S main attraction will be complimented by a stage open to a variety of entertainment and educational opportunities available to all.
BOOK SHOW will meet the community's increasing need for more independent bookstores with a unique identity. Sure you can buy books online for a penny (plus that overpriced postage and handling fee), and store thousands of digital books on your tablet. But what is missing from this book buying experience is the communal, thought-provoking experience of browsing. What is missing is digging and discovering a good book on your own, not what Amazon is guessing about you based on the data they have collected on "your type." BOOK SHOW fills the need to keep the love for reading, the physicality of the book and the artistry of the printed word alive.
BOOK SHOW will sell new and used books, as well affordable vintage books and ephemera. You will find a little bit of everything on our shelves, with a specialized and passionate focus on Fiction & Literature, Popular Culture, History, Local and Independent Press, Memoir & Autobiography, and Children's books.
BOOK SHOW will be a book browser's heaven. Books will be organized and arranged in unique inspired ways"”from unconventional shelving to non-traditional bookstore genres and displays. The ultimate goal is to get you to interact with not just the book or subject you are looking for, but also discover what is around it. BOOK SHOW will also offer a wide variety of gift items that relate to the printed word, and the love for it. Everything from letter writing kits containing handcrafted pens and pencils by local artisans to tee shirts.
BOOK SHOW will be not just be a retail bookstore but also a salon, a communal gathering space in which ideas, thoughts and opinions can be freely exchanged on an intimate stage. It will be a place to participate in or lead a creative educational workshop. BOOK SHOW will support the artistic community in Los Angeles by providing a welcoming, inspiring space for creativity to thrive.
There will be an eclectic calendar of shows and events offered at the store. A few examples of what you might see: Readings, book signings, creative workshops, children's events, educational lectures, theatrical performance, comedy, vaudevillian influenced acts, acoustic music.
BOOK SHOW will also offer art for sale on its walls, with a primary focus on local artists and artists who work with and incorporate books and literary references in their art.
I am asking for donations in hopes of raising enough money to cover some of the initial starting costs and provide enough extra support to help keep the doors open for the crucial first six months of business.
HERE ARE A FEW OF THE THINGS YOUR MONEY WILL BE USED FOR:
Legal fees
License and permit fees
Software (QuickBooks)
Paint and construction
Help supplement rent for first six months
Inventory (new books, used books, gift items)
Signage
A cash register
Bookshelves!
Cashier counter
Furniture (chair or two, tables, lamps)
A glass display case.
A very modest sound system
Folding chairs
Folding table(s)
A giant coffee pot and supplies (I will always be brewing free coffee!)
I am looking at doing a soft opening in the late spring, with a grand opening party later. I have not committed to a storefront yet, however I am looking seriously at a space in Silverlake. I'm also looking in North Hollywood and Burbank. I will have more information on this by end of February, and will post an update here. Please spread the word my friends!
I am offering some incentives for donating so be sure to check them out.
If you are an investor that is interested in hearing more about BOOK SHOW I am happy to meet with you to discuss the details of my business plan.
