A Round Up, Some Questions and a new white table!

So whats new in your friendly bookshop?

Well the newest edition, as of today, is a white table in the middle of the shop!
Now as you may know we don’t have a seperate room where we can hold regular events like reading groups, book discussions or craft classes, though we really want to hold them!
So I am trying to get feedback here, would you consider doing these types of things in the open venue of the bookshop whilst the shop was open if the events were either free or really really cheap or coffee was provided? (Because as I’m sure you all know by now I will do much if a really good caramel latte is added into the equation – it is a payment and reward in itself!)

So anyway I think it would add an interesting vibe as other people browsed while you breathed the books as it were in terms of a book group – or created and learned a new craft, what do you all think please?

Talk like a Pirate Day and visiting Author Sue Hampton was well recieved – thanks to all the young-uns that walked the plank to see Sue! I had a great time!
We still have copies of Sue’s book – ‘The Lincoln Imp’ in stock for those that couldn’t make the day and we also have some of her other books in and they are very good too!

We would love to do some more author or themed events in store (Hence another reason for the big white table where once there were bookcases!) – so if you have any idea’s then please let us know!

The Bishop of Lincoln, John Saxbee, has a new book out – ‘No Faith in Religion’ and it is now in stock and available, though it is selling pretty fast!
Please pass the info on and reserve or come in and buy your copies (and yes we do mail order too!), it is an excellent book and a wonderful symphony of blended idea’s on the dichotomy of faith and religion!

We have Calenders, Diaries, along with Advent Candles and Christmas books, cards and items making an appearance now! Lots of Christmas Decoupage and Craft things too! and not forgetting Parsons Pocket Books & Lectionaries! Yes it’s early but they are selling already.
Please think of us!

Oh and of course dont forget about our Church & Community Group Partnership Scheme! Tell others, join yourselves!
This is a real opportunity for working together to build community by supporting each other! More proof if needed that we are Working with you and for You!

The basic idea, as i’ve said somewhere her before, is that Churches and Community Groups (this also includes schools, clubs or any community, church or group based initiative) sign up with us as a Partner, once signed up you promote us to all your church/group members and then everytime they come into the shop and make a purchase, providing they let us know they are part of your partnership (we can provide cards for you to give them), you get a percentage of that sale held in credit for your church/community group!
We think this is worth it as we are helping you and we hope building community at the same time – and yes we do not deny we hope it helps us too by increasing the outreach of our shop too!

Ok and we would be really grateful if you could let your friends, collegues and networks know about us, both in person and through the Facebook groups/twitter/blogs! So next time you visit the fb group page, followfriday on Twitter, or even come into the shop then please ‘invite people to join’!

So that’s the news, info and questions from your friendly folk and slightly mad but highly amusing and mostly tame wonderful bookshopboss at Unicorn Tree!
Please do respond, tell others and feel free to pass on this message to any you think might be interested.

See you in the shop! and don’t forget mine’s a caramel latte and bring one for yourself as well :0)

www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk
Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
www.browseawhile.co.uk
www.alsarts.co.uk
www.lincolnmarket.co.uk

Ahoy and Avast me hearties were having some impish good fun on Saturday 19th September!

Just to let you all know that tomorrow (Saturday) we are having a fun filled day at the PirateShop Unicorn Tree Books and you and any children you may know are all invited to drift by, drop anchor and visit.

A wonderful children’s author – Sue Hampton – will be joining us all day to sign copies, read and talk about her brilliant new children’s book ‘The Lincoln Imp’. A book about learning to deal with change with a very local character at it’s centre!

However the fun doesn’t stop there because with it being International Talk Like a Pirate Day we of the Pirateshop are going to have some impish fun and are going to be dressing up a little like pirates and having fun with all the rest of the landlubbers as we regale you with pirate talk (crib sheets available in shop for you scurvy lot who don’t know the language).
So bring the sprogs down and don’t be lily-livered about it, as you wont want to miss out on the booty we have commandeered for you! Eyepatches will be given out and there may well be stickered polly’s and possibly paper planks to walk or other mayhem for the gentlefolk of fortune who visit!

We look forward to seeing you there and please pass this onto any facebook/twitter/blog friends or others you know in the area or who have children and might want some small burst of fun!

Cheers

Melanie
ps feel free to bring me a caramel latte to bribe and save any future keelhauling as may result from under caffeinated landlocked pirateshop captains!

www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk
Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
www.browseawhile.co.uk
www.alsarts.co.uk
www.lincolnmarket.co.uk

A mention in the Echo again – it’s no fake copy either!

I am once again mentioned in the Lincoln Echo – a short quote from me on the damage Counterfeit Goods can do to genuine businesses and markets!

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/Don-t-caught-counterfeit-goods/article-1297651-detail/article.html

Hehe – it’s good to be known!

www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk
Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
www.browseawhile.co.uk
www.alsarts.co.uk
www.lincolnmarket.co.uk

Unicorn Tree Books Nominated Charity

First off we would like to say thank you to everyone that has contributed in the last year to our Nominated Charity – The Alder Hay Imagine Appeal. Together we have raised £367.

That’s not bad going at all considering the economy, So thanks.

As you probably know we nominate a new charity each year on the anniversary fo the start of the business, and this year we have decided to go with Listening Books.

Listening Books is the only audiobook charity in the UK providing a streaming audiobook internet service, as well as a comprehensive postal service, to anyone who has a disability which makes it impossible or difficult to hold a book, turn its pages, or read in the usual way. Charity registration number. 264221

We figure this is a worthy cause as we love books and we want everyone to be able to enjoy them – this one is close to our hearts as well due to the fact that in our family we have people who suffer from both degenerative eye issues and physical issues that can contribute to causing our families favourite past-time to becoming something deeply missed. So we want to help make sure that everyone with similair issues gets to continue enjoyig the treasures that books are.
We hope this is a Charity that again you will all be able to get behind with us and that this year we can raise as much, if not more!, for this worthy charity too.
You can donate in shop giving your pennies as so many of you already do – or of course you can dontate directly through our JustGiving Page too. Thanks :0)

www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk
Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
www.browseawhile.co.uk
www.alsarts.co.uk
www.lincolnmarket.co.uk

Church & Community Group Partnership Scheme

We have now officially launched our Church & Community Group Partnership Scheme!
So if you have a church or group we would like to help you earn revenue by becoming an affiliate partner of Unicorn Tree Books & Crafts!
(That’s right an affiliate scheme thats not cyber based but is in a real shop with real people!! though of course you can still twitter or facebook your orders and enquiries to us!)
This is a real opportunity for working together to build community by supporting each other! More proof if needed that we are Working with you and for You!

The basic idea is that Churches and Community Groups (this also includes schools, clubs or any community, church or group based initiative) sign up with us as a Partner, Once signed up you promote us to all your church/group members and then everytime they come into the shop and make a purchase, providing they let us know they are part of your partnership, you get a percentage of that sale held in credit for your church/community group!

That’s right – they buy, you spend!
It cost’s your collective members nothing extra,
it costs you nothing but a bit of time, word of mouth and/or print promoting the service and our shop to your collective members (and anyone else you know who may benefit from the Scheme please!),
in fact the only one it’s costing is us as we give away a percentage of our income to you!
We think this is worth it as we are helping you and we hope building community at the same time – and yes we do not deny we hope it helps us too by increasing the outreach of our shop too!

We will be hoping to run special partnership events and offers as time progresses as well.

So whats the catch?
Your collective partnership have to buy up to £250 worth of goods in the course of the year, now even if your group only has 10 people in it (and remember you can get them to recruit their friends and family for your aims as well – it’s a viral charity thing!!) then that’s only a total spend for each of them of £25.00 in a year!
Given everything we sell – books, jigsaws, arts & craft supplies, gifts, music, cards, dvd’s, stationary & lots more – thats not really going to be that hard is it!

So please do contact us to sign up & please do spread the word around about the Scheme – it’s open to any Church and Community Group and also to pretty much any other group, club or network too!

www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk
Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
www.browseawhile.co.uk
www.alsarts.co.uk
www.lincolnmarket.co.uk

Time Stops for No Man – But Clocks Do!

I’m in the Echo again doing the page 3 thing! who knew I was so photogenic!!
Anyway the clock in the market – rather like the economy – has slowed down to a virtual stop and so the nice people from the echo came back to report on it.
Actually I was on page 3 of the Lincoln Echo twice this week as I was also mentioned in a report about doing away with the penny! fame at last.
So here are the links for those that might be interested:
Markets Antique Clock Stops Working
Charities Threatened by Death of 1p

oh and the wonderful thing about the penny article – the next day a wonderful disabled gentleman came in with a pocketful of copper to dontate – now that is community mindedness and generous giving.

See it proves that together we can do more for more!
Remember here at Unicorn Tree Books as an independent shop we are Working with You and For You!
and with that in mind just to let you know out Church & Community Partnership Scheme is now officially up and running as from today! more on this exciting community initiative later!!

So anyway come by and see us – and feel free to bring an extra coffee with you, latte with a shot of caramel, for when we stand and chat!

www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk
Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
www.browseawhile.co.uk
www.alsarts.co.uk
www.lincolnmarket.co.uk

Independents Week – it’s about community!

This is based on the body of something I just posted on facebook and thought it deserved a bigger airing.
It comes from the fact in the US it is Independent Week, now here in the UK we have Indpendent’s Book Week that is a great idea, over in the states they are doing this – but their indie week is actaully for all indies regardless of type of business and this rocks!!
(Some links to find out more! http://amiba.net/independents_week.html)
The stats that are being released as to how buying from indies benefits the community they are based in do roughly hold true here too!
So it’s defintely worth considering and remembering that indie store owners live and work in the community and therefore pay fully towards it and are totally invested in it – is this truly true of chain stores or internet shops? yes the staff are local but the profits and put back where do they end up??

This is the body of text taken from the fantastic www.indiebound.com – The US based fantastic Independent Bookshops Website – I totally would love something like this here in the UK!

Why shop Indie?

When you shop at an independently owned business, your entire community benefits:
The Economy

* Spend $100 at a local and $68 of that stays in your community. Spend the same $100 at a national chain, and your community only sees $43.
* Local businesses create higher-paying jobs for our neighbors.
* More of your taxes are reinvested in your community–where they belong.

The Environment

* Buying local means less packaging, less transportation, and a smaller carbon footprint.
* Shopping in a local business district means less infrastructure, less maintenance, and more money to beautify your community.

The Community

* Local retailers are your friends and neighbors—support them and they’ll support you.
* Local businesses donate to charities at more than twice the rate of national chains.
* More independents means more choice, more diversity, and a truly unique community.

Now is the time to stand up and join your fellow individuals in the IndieBound mission supporting local businesses and celebrating independents.

Now before anyone says it – I am not on about Independent’s Week – I know we do that as booksellers and publishers anyway, and most other business sphere’s have some sort of thing once a year as well.

What I am talking about is things like independent booksellers foundation and the real way the indies are working together for example via www.indiebound.org
We need to be doing this – regardless of the style, speciality or size of our indie stores, unite together but working indie style.
Bookshops aside indie shops of all sorts should be working together!
Supporting, networking, building our communities!
Yes the FSB does a good job (I am a member – www.fsb.org.uk/) but we need something more still – more focused on working together in the community and supporting each other.
Community centred but national and global in sharing idea’s and working together independently for the good of communities everywhere!

Come on let’s do it – and community come on share with us, support us, love us – we know we need you and we know we love you and will do that extra for you – you’re our neighbours and friends!

ps – this year at Christmas we gave over £100 to Lindon Listening Ears – a lincoln based Free Bereavment Counselling Service – we like to give to local charities! and we give to national ones too.

www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk
Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
www.browseawhile.co.uk
www.alsarts.co.uk
www.lincolnmarket.co.uk

Ohh! New Signs for the Aisle!

We have had some nice banner signage made that can be seen up and down the aisles in Central Market, and best of all can also be seen from outside when the doors are open – which they definitely were today as we sweltered and fought over every passing breeze!
Anyway I think they look pretty good really – what do you all think.

www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk
Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
www.browseawhile.co.uk
www.alsarts.co.uk
www.lincolnmarket.co.uk

It’s about time too! – In the Lincoln Echo again!

Ohh yes indeed – I, me the bookshop boss, Unicorn Tree Books and Lincoln Central Market are once again in the Lincoln Echo!

And best yet – another career moment has been achieved in the life CV – because oh yes and wait for it…I am now a page 3 girl!!

Yes indeed my picture graces page 3 of todays Lincoln Echo, along with an article on how time is no longer standing still in Lincoln Central Market but is merrily marching forward with the rest of us.

So anyway here for all to read is the article in question.

I would like to say thank you to the News Editor for responding to my notification on Saturday and sending down the nice reported – Michael Brown – who was a great guy, and sending the nice photographer -John Jenkins – who was also very nice and even managed, true to his word and skills, to make me not look too much like a rabid chipmunk on a seriosu caffeine high! Thanks guys.

Ok so there we go, a clock that works and let’s me know when it really is caffeine time, generally about 8:45am – 4:00pm Monday – Saturday! so if your passing call in and remember I take mine with a shot of caramel syrup in it too!

See you in the shop tomorrow – or online, or on twitter and remember if you have to buy a book online do me a favour and use our affiliate shop to help support us at least a little – though we do take orders bytwitter @unicorntreebks now too!

www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk
Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
www.browseawhile.co.uk
www.alsarts.co.uk
www.lincolnmarket.co.uk

Buy Local to Keep Local People In Jobs!

Buy local to keep local people in jobs
Lincolnshire Bites Back buy local campaign This is Lincolnshire.

This is an important idea and something I would like to remind people of, because buying local isn’t just about food, it’s about everything!

Yes that includes bookshops as well – sure it is probably easier late at night or sitting at the desk to buy from Amazon or one of the other names, ( and no I don’t blame you and I entirely understand where you are coming from!) but the truth is when you do that you do run the risk of loosing your local shop, and with it the employee’s of that shop loosing their jobs, and in the longer term the benefits to your community!

There are ways to support your local shop and work with them and still have the benefits of quick fix shopping or savings.

In our case you can use our Amazon Affiliates shop, thus benefitting ourselves and yourself. Don’t go straight to amazon.com, instead bookmark us and go through our affiliate link!

Sure we would prefer you just used us directly, dropped us an email ( unicorntreebooks@aol.com ) or twitter us, or even leave us an phone message (01522 525557) telling us the book you want and then we could get it for you and supply it, it’s entirely possibly we might even have it in already. If you can’t pick it up we can post it, but if you can pick it up it’s great! we can chat and you might even see some other things you want and we might even share our sweets with you!

Please think local first, – we want to serve you, we want to support you, we want to work with you – we really need you and we know it, and maybe one day you will really need us and then we truly will know we are part of the same community that works and lives together.

Ok so that’s the non-party political broadcast and begging session over! normal service will resume in the bookshop and I will be the one sucking down the caramel flavoured coffee whilst fighting new booking in systems! Say hello and save me! see you in the bookshop, on twitter, or any of the other methods we can be a community together!

www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk
Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
www.browseawhile.co.uk
www.alsarts.co.uk
www.lincolnmarket.co.uk