
Beetle & Books: Community first.
Donation protected
Welcome to Beetle & Books, Edinburgh’s first community bookshop that strives to serve the residents of Edinburgh, old and new.
Where what you give to us will be returned to you in a meaningful and needed way!
As well as serving you with hand-picked books that divert from the beaten path, we will offer a variety of clubs, skill nights and free workshops for Edinburgh's very own to attend;
Scheduled youth clubs with connection to youth services
In the ever-growing world of tech, and the ever-shrinking world of safe third-spaces for city teens, Beetle & Books will offer a bi-weekly youth club which will aim to boost literacy confidence while giving kids the opportunity to connect with new friends.
Literacy and CV writing skills for Adults
It’s okay to be bad at it! We want to help you embrace it and learn how to grow some confidence in your communication. In a time where jobs become increasingly difficult to get, free classes to improve your CV, learn how to write cover letters with no stress and interview calmly are key- we want to offer these on a regular basis with no charge for attendance. We also hope to host English literacy classes with translators in numerous languages in the future.
Edinburgh writers’ publishing grant
As a writer myself, I know how hard it is to enter the world of published books, sometimes it feels easier to win the lottery so for me, this is the exciting one. With plans to expand upon success, Beetle & Books will open with the intention of publishing one Edinburgh-based author per year with no limitations on the age, book- genre or length of writing. Along with a small line of physical copies that will be sold in the shop and given to the winner , we will host the winning Author a launch-night to kickstart their career.
Free children's book service
You will be able to send a message to arrange a trip with your child to choose a new book for free if you are in high need. The cost of living continues to rise, while the luxuries of day-to-day life continue to shrink and while libraries are absolutely amazing and should be taken advantage of, every child deserves something new just for themselves, we’ll invite you for a cuppa/ cake and help your little one pick the perfect book for home, no charge. As the shop becomes more established, we will be able to offer a higher number of free book days.
Plans to open an @August_21 second location
Opening in 2021, August_21 continues to be a community staple of Newington. Along with amazing hot drinks and local food that caters to all dietary needs,, they commit to being a hub of creativity by hosting weekly mic-nights (that are always fully booked), tarot nights, art shows, local collaborations and more.
Beetle & Books are excited to become home to a new August_21 Mini Counter.
Our collaboration with August_21 shows the results of community kinship- the owner, Savannah, and I, met several years ago on Meadows Share when she answered my post. Had it not been for the existence of this powerful community tool, we would not have met, been friends ever since, and now have the opportunity to work together.
These plans will pair with a host of fun social, crafty, whimsical community nights, of course.
High hopes, heart and soul has been put into Beetle & Books, taking into consideration all of the different segments of our wonderful community, but here’s where we need your help!
We can’t do this alone and we don’t come from a place of open funding or money to spare, every penny counts.
Every flyer has been delivered and paid for by one person with big ambition and big love for this wonderful city.
While we work on funding as much as we can, the start of a shop is expensive and leads us to ask for your donations- donations that will see the doors of Beetle & books finally open!
After getting my dear friend to proof-read this practical explanation of the shop, she reminded me that it was important to include a bit of my own story, to share the reason behind the shop and give you a chance to connect with me.
I won’t pretend that I don’t feel a little bit shy doing so, but I agree with her so;
My name is Mica, I’m a working-class 24 year old who moved to Edinburgh in my late teens and really dug my heels into Edinburgh during peak-pandemic, a time most other people seemed to shy away. I began a career in disability care-work and started attending groups that led me to meet all sorts of people- the disabled community, political groups, art crowds, nerds and D&D fans, shop owners, book readers, book collectors, the elderly cafe goers, clubbers, you name it.
I’ve known that I want to give my help to others since I was tiny- my first career ambitions were to follow in my Mothers footsteps (I’m super proud to say that she’s now an extremely cool published psychotherapist) but undeniably, I love to chat too much. I love meeting new people and hearing the story each person has to tell, it’s endless. I find myself seeking out opportunities to get to know strangers beyond surface level and build connections from nothing.
I, obviously, also LOVE to read. I'm full of random crafts and skills but reading has been one of my most consistent passions, giving me a feeling of safety where I couldn’t find it elsewhere. Through all of the heavier moments in a pretty tumultuous life, books have given me peace. Books have given me life lessons, worlds to fill my mind, both dreams and nightmares, friends. Books have given me myself.
Then began my idea of opening a bookshop, one where I could connect with regulars and make sure my shop serves all types of people, where I could listen and try my best to create something meaningful, something that offers more than just shopping but actual help.
The idea sort of sat stagnant for a while, not fully formed or fully believed. The thing that really began pushing me to do the work to make this a reality was my own feeling of helplessness.
We live in a time where there always seems to be a battle for things we all deserve, like equal rights, benefits, respect, disability adaptations, medical attention, the right to move freely, lgbtq+ safe spaces, funding and safe spaces for our youth, apolitical education- you get my point. I feel a lot of these struggles personally as a queer, disabled, mixed person constantly trying to find where I belong. It’s not easy and honestly, I’m burnt out.
It seemed the more I experienced, the more I wished I could do something and see the results of that effort in-person. This is when I landed on the idea of creating a bookshop that could also be a place of direct action and from there, the idea blossomed.
I ran newsletters, anonymous questionnaires and online blogs to gather local voices and tell me what gaps I could fill, and how to make sure I run a shop that feels like it belongs to the people who live and work here. Knowing the obstacles I'd face as a disabled, scatterbrained person trying to open a business by myself (and honestly, a person with very limited funds) I began working with The Kings Trust to both fund my business but also learn the ins and outs of all that come with business ownership (all while balancing two jobs).
That brings me to here, where your help becomes key in opening the doors to Beetle & Books.
While I'm working earnestly to get the funding from the Kings Trust, this still won’t cover all the expenses that come with opening a physical shop. The biggest costs associated are stocking my shop for the first time and renting/ furnishing the place.
Any donation- big, medium or small, is worth its weight in gold at the moment. Every penny will directly go towards the opening costs, whether it be the first book-stock, funds towards instant classes/workshops or a few months rent to give me a chance to get on my feet.
This will be a space that will prioritise our big, wonderful, vibrant Edinburgh community but we need that same community to kickstart us, talk about us, share our cause and links, so we now rely on collective action.
With this style of fundraising, a small amount each from a large group will have real impact.
It really has taken me a while to figure out how to word this in the right way, but I feel confident in Beetle & Books and the space it deserves to fill.
A million thanks,
-Mica
([email redacted].books on instagram for any enquiries, partnership queries or information)
Organizer

Lucas Pardue
Organizer
Scotland