Okay, now it's getting serious.
I've left my day job to focus full time on Greenlight Bookstore business -- and the countdown to opening day is beginning!
As we've mentioned elsewhere, we're hoping to have Greenlight Bookstore open for business sometime in September (earlier would be better than later, but given the many factors that have to come together, we're looking at a pretty wide window).
Some days that seems very far away -- and sometimes it seems like tomorrow, as there is a LOT that has to happen between now and then! With that in mind, all kinds of things are now beginning to ramp up -- here's a little bit about where we are right now.
Last week, after lots of bid-sifting and negotiating (thank goodness for having a partner who is a good negotiator!), Rebecca and I signed a contract with Hugo Construction, a general contractor based here in Brooklyn. They're a great firm that has worked with our architects before, and they can do the work within our budget and time frame -- hooray! You may see them at the space this week, bringing in materials and doing the last bits of demolition.
And starting next week, our architect Fred Tang of deFT Projects will be blogging about the construction process on the fantastic Brooklyn real estate blog Brownstoner! So I won't tell you too much about our building plans here -- I'll be linking to Fred's posts where you can get a more in-depth view of the project (and lots of pictures) from a real expert.
In the meantime, we're working on the other side of things: the books we're going to sell! I've made buying appointments for almost every day in August with sales reps from the various publishers we'll be buying from. We're also working on getting a "suggested opening order" from a book distributor -- that's a list of bestselling titles in the areas we cover, which Rebecca and I will look through and edit to determine the books that will be in the store on Day 1. Looking through the lists and catalogs is in some ways the most fun part -- it's certainly what we got into this business to do! I feel especially lucky that we're opening this fall -- everything I hear from booksellers suggests that there are a ton of great books being published this season, so our "New Releases" display is going to be fantastic.
And there are a million and one other things, of course. We've applied for and received our Certificate of Authority to collect sales tax, so we can send our Resale Certificate to vendors and buy wholesale. We've purchased our inventory and point-of-sale software (it's called Booklog), and we're working on finding a good price on the computers we'll need. We're working with the American Booksellers Association to get set up with their website platform, which includes e-commerce (much more on that in a later post!) We're working on creating a logo. A bit later we'll need to sift through the many wonderful folks interested in working for us and hire our staff. And we'll need to get set up with electricity, telecom stuff, trash pickup -- all that stuff.
As I said -- a lot has to happen between now and September. But we're on our way!
Got questions about the store or the startup process? Want to join our growing list of volunteers? Leave a comment here and I'll answer it, or email me at jessica@greenlightbookstore.com and I'll do my best to get back to you. We love the community's involvement in this project, and we want to stay connected with you!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Report from the Preview Party
On Sunday evening, Greenlight Bookstore became a little more a part of Fort Greene when Rebecca and I opened wide the blinds at 686 Fulton Street for the first time. "Wow," said our architect, "it's almost like being outside!" We felt like a part of the street life, as passers-by pointed out our brand-new "Coming Soon!" banner and pressed noses against the window to see inside. And we invited a few members of the community – those who have helped us to get this far – into the space for a look around.
Sunday night was our long-awaited Greenlight Bookstore Preview Party, which was conceived as kind of a big "thank you" – to the Fort Greene Association folks who have helped us connect to the neighborhood, the Community Lenders who have helped us to raise start-up capital, the small business professionals who have worked with us for little or no fee, and the book industry professionals who have given us invaluable guidance. Wine and home-made snacks were served, but the real treat for the attendees was meeting fellow Greenlight supporters, and of course imagining the bookstore that is taking shape.
Our great architects, Frederick Tang of deFT Projects and Jarrett Pelletier, brought along some visuals to help with the imagining, including poster-size mechanical drawings and artistic renderings of the construction plans.
(Don't mind the leftover electrical wiring, which is still draped all over the store!) We also had a mock-up of what the bookshelves will look like, and a couple of 3-D posterboard models of the future store. We gave tour after tour of the 2000 square foot space, until our voices were hoarse from describing the fiction wall, the children's section, the "den" reading area, the cash desk, the author events, and everything else we envision.
In the meantime, the many parts of this community effort got to meet each other. For example, below, from left to right: Fred, Jarrett, Toby Cox (owner of Three Lives Bookstore and a Fort Greene resident), Mike Gross of the Fort Greene Association and the Fort Greene Indie Bookstore Initiative, and Greg Callendar of the Pace Small Business Development Corporation (who helped us secure a small business loan and also lives in the neighborhood).
As the evening wore on, we proposed a toast: to the powerful community that is helping to create Greenlight Bookstore, with the hope that we will be able to give back all that they have given to us, and more.
As you can see by our faces in this photo taken by Mike, Rebecca and I were glowing by the end of the night. I love the way the composition of this shot turned out. Inside the window behind us, you can see the wonderful people who are helping to bring the bookstore together; in the reflection, you can see the beautiful Brooklyn neighborhood we're becoming a part of.
Sunday night was our long-awaited Greenlight Bookstore Preview Party, which was conceived as kind of a big "thank you" – to the Fort Greene Association folks who have helped us connect to the neighborhood, the Community Lenders who have helped us to raise start-up capital, the small business professionals who have worked with us for little or no fee, and the book industry professionals who have given us invaluable guidance. Wine and home-made snacks were served, but the real treat for the attendees was meeting fellow Greenlight supporters, and of course imagining the bookstore that is taking shape.
Our great architects, Frederick Tang of deFT Projects and Jarrett Pelletier, brought along some visuals to help with the imagining, including poster-size mechanical drawings and artistic renderings of the construction plans.
(Don't mind the leftover electrical wiring, which is still draped all over the store!) We also had a mock-up of what the bookshelves will look like, and a couple of 3-D posterboard models of the future store. We gave tour after tour of the 2000 square foot space, until our voices were hoarse from describing the fiction wall, the children's section, the "den" reading area, the cash desk, the author events, and everything else we envision.
In the meantime, the many parts of this community effort got to meet each other. For example, below, from left to right: Fred, Jarrett, Toby Cox (owner of Three Lives Bookstore and a Fort Greene resident), Mike Gross of the Fort Greene Association and the Fort Greene Indie Bookstore Initiative, and Greg Callendar of the Pace Small Business Development Corporation (who helped us secure a small business loan and also lives in the neighborhood).
As the evening wore on, we proposed a toast: to the powerful community that is helping to create Greenlight Bookstore, with the hope that we will be able to give back all that they have given to us, and more.
As you can see by our faces in this photo taken by Mike, Rebecca and I were glowing by the end of the night. I love the way the composition of this shot turned out. Inside the window behind us, you can see the wonderful people who are helping to bring the bookstore together; in the reflection, you can see the beautiful Brooklyn neighborhood we're becoming a part of.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The HarperStudio Interview
HarperStudio is a very cool new imprint of large publisher HarperCollins -- they're working on smart new models for publishing, paying authors, and marketing in the 21st century. They also have a very cool blog, 26th Story. Earlier this week, they asked me for an interview about Greenlight Bookstore.
And here it is!
Thanks to the HarperStudio folks for listening, and to Fort Greene for being the community that makes us not seem crazy.
And here it is!
Thanks to the HarperStudio folks for listening, and to Fort Greene for being the community that makes us not seem crazy.
Monday, June 22, 2009
A Look Inside the Space
By now many of you have seen the lovely exterior of the future Greenlight Bookstore, either in the photos here on the blog or in real life on the corner of Fulton and South Portland in Fort Greene. (Just to clarify for the record: while the entire building is located at 680 Fulton Street, our storefront alone is known as 686 Fulton Street for mailing purposes, so that's how we'll refer to it from here on.) Today, only on the Greenlight Bookstore blog, we're giving you a look inside!
This is the floor plan we originally received from the landlords at IBEC, so you can get a sense of the shape of the space. (The blank rectangle on the right is Marquet, the coffee shop next door.) This drawing shows the setup as it was when the space was occupied by Nationwide Insurance, so as we did, you'll have to imagine it without the conference tables, cubicles, and dividing walls. What can't be imagined away is the central air shaft -- yep, that's a real donut-hole sort of chunk in the middle of the space. Along with the irregular lefthand wall, this makes for something far removed from the usual rectangle of retail space. Minus the airshaft, the space is just over 2000 square feet.
The more Rebecca and I looked at this the more we loved it for its funky-ness. The nooks and crannies, the windows in the middle -- they're all a source of inspiration, and require us to think creatively about how to use this space. Along with our architects, we've been enjoying doing just that. The first step was getting rid of what we didn't need so we had a blank space to work with, and that's just about where we are right now.
We looked at this drawing in various forms for so long that when we finally did get to see the inside, sans cubicle walls, it was a little like deja vu -- it felt like we'd been here before, even though we hadn't.
Here's a panorama shot our architect Fred Tang created, looking out from the back of the space toward the street. It's a composite shot -- hence the ghostly half-figure, which I think is our superintendent, Esdri. You can click for a larger view, though this still doesn't entirely do justice to the feeling of standing in the space. But you can see how expansive the front of the store feels, and those truly amazing windows on Fulton Street. Sneak (imaginary) preview #1: over to the left in this picture is where we plan to place the cash desk.
And here's a similar composite panorama looking in at the shop from the front. (Again, click for a larger view.) You can see that funky airshaft in the middle/right. Sneak (imaginary) preview #2: that nook straight back as far back as you can see is where the kids section will be.
We'll be posting much more detail about our plans, with lots of pictures, in the days to come. Hope you enjoy the peek inside, and share our excitement in imagining -- and observing -- Greenlight Bookstore taking shape in this space!
This is the floor plan we originally received from the landlords at IBEC, so you can get a sense of the shape of the space. (The blank rectangle on the right is Marquet, the coffee shop next door.) This drawing shows the setup as it was when the space was occupied by Nationwide Insurance, so as we did, you'll have to imagine it without the conference tables, cubicles, and dividing walls. What can't be imagined away is the central air shaft -- yep, that's a real donut-hole sort of chunk in the middle of the space. Along with the irregular lefthand wall, this makes for something far removed from the usual rectangle of retail space. Minus the airshaft, the space is just over 2000 square feet.
The more Rebecca and I looked at this the more we loved it for its funky-ness. The nooks and crannies, the windows in the middle -- they're all a source of inspiration, and require us to think creatively about how to use this space. Along with our architects, we've been enjoying doing just that. The first step was getting rid of what we didn't need so we had a blank space to work with, and that's just about where we are right now.
We looked at this drawing in various forms for so long that when we finally did get to see the inside, sans cubicle walls, it was a little like deja vu -- it felt like we'd been here before, even though we hadn't.
Here's a panorama shot our architect Fred Tang created, looking out from the back of the space toward the street. It's a composite shot -- hence the ghostly half-figure, which I think is our superintendent, Esdri. You can click for a larger view, though this still doesn't entirely do justice to the feeling of standing in the space. But you can see how expansive the front of the store feels, and those truly amazing windows on Fulton Street. Sneak (imaginary) preview #1: over to the left in this picture is where we plan to place the cash desk.
And here's a similar composite panorama looking in at the shop from the front. (Again, click for a larger view.) You can see that funky airshaft in the middle/right. Sneak (imaginary) preview #2: that nook straight back as far back as you can see is where the kids section will be.
We'll be posting much more detail about our plans, with lots of pictures, in the days to come. Hope you enjoy the peek inside, and share our excitement in imagining -- and observing -- Greenlight Bookstore taking shape in this space!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Today in Fort Greene: Totally Independent Book Fair!
It seems there's something about the corner of Fulton and South Portland that attracts the literary types. On the very stretch of Fort Greene street where Greenlight Bookstore will open this fall, a different kind of literary marketplace is in effect today, June 13: the Totally Independent Book Fair!
You can read more about the TIBF on the New York Times' Local blog. The fair is the brainchild of Nehprii Amenii, a children’s author and illustrator, and aims to give self-published and independently published authors a chance to pool their resources and interact directly with readers and book buyers. Authors bring their own table to set up on the sidewalk (no permit required to sell books on the street in NYC!), and the fair is in effect. It's kind of like when everyone on the block has their stoop sale on the same day -- the excitement generated is more than if any one person had done it on their own, and that means more publicity (and hopefully more sales) for everyone.
Participating authors include Ms. Amenii, erotica author Monica Martinez, poets KL Belvin and Janice Brabaw and graphic novelist Jemir Johnson, as well as MAS Media Studios, Street Fiction writer David L. and Marvelous Harrison. I haven't read or seen any of their work -- but I'm always a fan of independent literary ventures. So take a stroll over to Fulton and South Portland today between 10 and 5, and support another great DIY bookish experience in the neighborhood.
You can read more about the TIBF on the New York Times' Local blog. The fair is the brainchild of Nehprii Amenii, a children’s author and illustrator, and aims to give self-published and independently published authors a chance to pool their resources and interact directly with readers and book buyers. Authors bring their own table to set up on the sidewalk (no permit required to sell books on the street in NYC!), and the fair is in effect. It's kind of like when everyone on the block has their stoop sale on the same day -- the excitement generated is more than if any one person had done it on their own, and that means more publicity (and hopefully more sales) for everyone.
Participating authors include Ms. Amenii, erotica author Monica Martinez, poets KL Belvin and Janice Brabaw and graphic novelist Jemir Johnson, as well as MAS Media Studios, Street Fiction writer David L. and Marvelous Harrison. I haven't read or seen any of their work -- but I'm always a fan of independent literary ventures. So take a stroll over to Fulton and South Portland today between 10 and 5, and support another great DIY bookish experience in the neighborhood.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Greenlight announcement in the news!
It's fun to watch the buzz starting about our new location! Here's a bit of who's been talking about Greenlight Bookstore:
Brownstoner got the jump on coverage with a great post about "the little bookstore that could" (and a very interesting and energetic discussion in the comments)
Fort Greene's own New York Times Local blog had a bit (written by yours truly).
Shelf Awareness gave us a number of column inches and quoted from our blog.
The book blog at Gather.com (written by longtime indie publishing stalwart Chris Steib) starts with the great line "Print is dead...long live print!", and predicts that Greenlight "is sure to become a local favorite and a worthwhile trip to Fort Greene."
Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn reported the story -- timely and local-focused as always.
New York Press gave us some ink on its staff blog.
Bookselling This Week (the American Booksellers Association newsletter) also gave us some column space.
Galleycat posted the news, noting that the store will be a block away from one of the popular literary blog's editors (hope to see you at events!)
HTML Giant has the link (and a very interesting comment discussion)
The Village Voice blog has a fierce post that links the announcement to the post-BEA "hint of indie optimism," and ends with the irresistible rallying cry "Let's not fuck this up, Brooklyn."
Moby Lives, the blog of Melville House (a fantastic Brooklyn indie publisher with a storefront in DUMBO), correctly identifies the bookstore as our "baby" -- and points out that our location is the corner of Time Out New York's "best block in New York."
Publishers Marketplace breaks the news (though you'll need a login to read the article).
Shelved @ NYC, a librarian blog, juxtaposes our news with the sadder tidings of Morningside Bookshop closing on the Upper West Side. We're thinking of Peter and co. these days, and hope we can be half the community institution that Morningside has been.
The Brooklyn Paper has a brief article with a picture of our smiling mugs in front of the store space (on an unfortunately rainy June day)
Racked has a great little post focused on the community angle.
I think there will probably be more coming (I did an interview with the Brooklyn Eagle this morning) -- I'll add them here as I come across them. We're trying to keep a record of our press coverage (helps with lenders, publishers, and others we need to impress, we've found), so if you see any pieces we've missed, we've love it if you could link them in the comments!
Update: The Brooklyn Eagle ran the story on Monday, with a wonderful "dreams come true" angle, pointing out that the projected opening date is one year after our launch party at BAM.
Brownstoner got the jump on coverage with a great post about "the little bookstore that could" (and a very interesting and energetic discussion in the comments)
Fort Greene's own New York Times Local blog had a bit (written by yours truly).
Shelf Awareness gave us a number of column inches and quoted from our blog.
The book blog at Gather.com (written by longtime indie publishing stalwart Chris Steib) starts with the great line "Print is dead...long live print!", and predicts that Greenlight "is sure to become a local favorite and a worthwhile trip to Fort Greene."
Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn reported the story -- timely and local-focused as always.
New York Press gave us some ink on its staff blog.
Bookselling This Week (the American Booksellers Association newsletter) also gave us some column space.
Galleycat posted the news, noting that the store will be a block away from one of the popular literary blog's editors (hope to see you at events!)
HTML Giant has the link (and a very interesting comment discussion)
The Village Voice blog has a fierce post that links the announcement to the post-BEA "hint of indie optimism," and ends with the irresistible rallying cry "Let's not fuck this up, Brooklyn."
Moby Lives, the blog of Melville House (a fantastic Brooklyn indie publisher with a storefront in DUMBO), correctly identifies the bookstore as our "baby" -- and points out that our location is the corner of Time Out New York's "best block in New York."
Publishers Marketplace breaks the news (though you'll need a login to read the article).
Shelved @ NYC, a librarian blog, juxtaposes our news with the sadder tidings of Morningside Bookshop closing on the Upper West Side. We're thinking of Peter and co. these days, and hope we can be half the community institution that Morningside has been.
The Brooklyn Paper has a brief article with a picture of our smiling mugs in front of the store space (on an unfortunately rainy June day)
Racked has a great little post focused on the community angle.
I think there will probably be more coming (I did an interview with the Brooklyn Eagle this morning) -- I'll add them here as I come across them. We're trying to keep a record of our press coverage (helps with lenders, publishers, and others we need to impress, we've found), so if you see any pieces we've missed, we've love it if you could link them in the comments!
Update: The Brooklyn Eagle ran the story on Monday, with a wonderful "dreams come true" angle, pointing out that the projected opening date is one year after our launch party at BAM.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The Big Announcement: Greenlight Is Go!
It's the moment we've all been waiting for: the lease is finalized, the contractors are on their way, and we've got an opening date target for Fort Greene's own independent bookstore! At last we can reveal the mystery location:
On June 1, Greenlight Bookstore became the official tenant of 686 Fulton Street, at the corner of South Portland -- right in the heart of Fort Greene.
If you're not already familiar with this corner, we recommend checking it out in Street View on Google Maps to get a sense of the bookstore space in context (it's the former Nationwide Insurance space.) Across the intersection is Habana Outpost, one of the most exciting restaurants in Fort Greene and a neighborhood staple. Around the corner on South Portland is the C train, Lafayette Avenue stop, making us accessible from anywhere in the 5 boroughs. The G train is two blocks northwest on Fulton, and if you continue strolling in that direction for a few blocks more, you'll find yourself at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, one of Brooklyn's finest cultural institutions.
And just look at those beautiful windows!!
The space is about 2000 square feet -- just right for stocking a wide variety of books in many categories, and for hosting great author readings and other events, while still feeling cozy. The funky layout has both wide open spaces and nooks and crannies, perfect for a quiet browse, for reading a picture book with a child, or for chatting with friends and neighbors over a cup of coffee from Marquet, right next door.
We have great landlords who have been invested in the neighborhood for a long time: Samy and Hesky Brahimy of IBEC Building Corporation. We're also working with a local Brooklyn architect team, Jarrett Pelletier and Frederick Tang of deFT Projects, on a plan to make this a beautiful, welcoming space that incorporates the best traditions of bookstores and Brooklyn style, as well as the new energy and ideas that define our borough, and that we hope to bring to bookselling.
If all goes smoothly (and with construction projects being what they are, that's a fairly big if), we hope to be open in September. When we get a little bit closer, we'll start planing a grand opening party that will top even our amazing launch party last September at BAM. In the meantime, we'll be posting regular updates on the store's progress on our blog and Facebook page, and you can feel free to email us with your thoughts and comments.
Thank you for walking with us as we move toward our bookstore dream. We're looking forward to continuing to share this journey with you, and welcoming you into Greenlight Bookstore this fall.
P.S.: The Financials
Among our good news is the fact that we've just been approved for a business loan from the World Trade Center Small Business Recovery Fund, which means that we will definitely have the funding to make Greenlight Bookstore a reality. However, we're still accepting community lenders, since as we've been told by our mentors in bookselling, everything always costs more than you think it will. The additional funds we're able to collect, in increments of $1000 or more, will help to ensure that Greenlight Bookstore is able to stock a wide range of books, sustain a fully functional e-commerce website, and pay a living wage to its bookstore staff. And as a community lender, you'll be entitled to special discounts until your loan is paid off, and lender privileges throughout the life of the store. Details about becoming a community lender can be found here on our website, or you can feel free to email us with any questions. Thanks so much to the many lenders who have gotten on board already -- you are helping to make this happen!
On June 1, Greenlight Bookstore became the official tenant of 686 Fulton Street, at the corner of South Portland -- right in the heart of Fort Greene.
If you're not already familiar with this corner, we recommend checking it out in Street View on Google Maps to get a sense of the bookstore space in context (it's the former Nationwide Insurance space.) Across the intersection is Habana Outpost, one of the most exciting restaurants in Fort Greene and a neighborhood staple. Around the corner on South Portland is the C train, Lafayette Avenue stop, making us accessible from anywhere in the 5 boroughs. The G train is two blocks northwest on Fulton, and if you continue strolling in that direction for a few blocks more, you'll find yourself at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, one of Brooklyn's finest cultural institutions.
And just look at those beautiful windows!!
The space is about 2000 square feet -- just right for stocking a wide variety of books in many categories, and for hosting great author readings and other events, while still feeling cozy. The funky layout has both wide open spaces and nooks and crannies, perfect for a quiet browse, for reading a picture book with a child, or for chatting with friends and neighbors over a cup of coffee from Marquet, right next door.
We have great landlords who have been invested in the neighborhood for a long time: Samy and Hesky Brahimy of IBEC Building Corporation. We're also working with a local Brooklyn architect team, Jarrett Pelletier and Frederick Tang of deFT Projects, on a plan to make this a beautiful, welcoming space that incorporates the best traditions of bookstores and Brooklyn style, as well as the new energy and ideas that define our borough, and that we hope to bring to bookselling.
If all goes smoothly (and with construction projects being what they are, that's a fairly big if), we hope to be open in September. When we get a little bit closer, we'll start planing a grand opening party that will top even our amazing launch party last September at BAM. In the meantime, we'll be posting regular updates on the store's progress on our blog and Facebook page, and you can feel free to email us with your thoughts and comments.
Thank you for walking with us as we move toward our bookstore dream. We're looking forward to continuing to share this journey with you, and welcoming you into Greenlight Bookstore this fall.
P.S.: The Financials
Among our good news is the fact that we've just been approved for a business loan from the World Trade Center Small Business Recovery Fund, which means that we will definitely have the funding to make Greenlight Bookstore a reality. However, we're still accepting community lenders, since as we've been told by our mentors in bookselling, everything always costs more than you think it will. The additional funds we're able to collect, in increments of $1000 or more, will help to ensure that Greenlight Bookstore is able to stock a wide range of books, sustain a fully functional e-commerce website, and pay a living wage to its bookstore staff. And as a community lender, you'll be entitled to special discounts until your loan is paid off, and lender privileges throughout the life of the store. Details about becoming a community lender can be found here on our website, or you can feel free to email us with any questions. Thanks so much to the many lenders who have gotten on board already -- you are helping to make this happen!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Greenlight at BEA
Rebecca and I will be making the rounds this weekend at Book Expo America, the U.S. book industry's largest trade show. We're looking forward to seeing old friends and talking to new vendors. We've got some big news in the cooker that we'll be officially announcing very soon, but in the meantime we'll be spreading the word one-on-one to friends and colleagues. You can also follow us on Twitter to see what we're up to: @booknerdnyc and @arrbecca. Hope to see you at the show!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Fort Greene Open Book
It's a new project (something we tend to sympathize with): Open Book TV.
Here's the official description:
"Open Book is a new half-hour weekly television program about books and writers focusing on the contemporary and historical literary production in a different spot on the planet each week."
But the really important thing about Open Book?
The first show focuses on that most literary of all spots: Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
Not only does the show spotlight the neighborhood's literary history with readings of Walt Whitman, Richard Wright, and Henry Miller, but it features the current resident literary and creative lights: Jennifer Egan, Jeffrey Wright, Carl Hancock Rux, Moustafa Bayoumi, Ishmael Beah, Bill Lee, Darryl Blaine, and Suheir Hammad.
Also featured: Madiba (best South African restaurant I know), M & H deli(Halal), the Walt Whitman Houses, the Navy Yards, Spike Lee's dad's house, and what I'm pretty sure is the inside of the Methodist church on Hanson Place.
Authors I was looking forward to: Egan and Rux (and they didn't disappoint).
Authors whose descriptions and evocations of Brooklyn and Fort Greene unexpectedly choked me up: Bayoumi on a rich and open-eyed multiculturalism, Hammad on a particularly local youth and pride, Wright on an almost mystical but humorous continuity across the centuries.
All of them made me love this neighborhood even more.
Oh come on, just watch it, and relish the literary joy available in our local "spot on the planet"!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Greenlight in the NYT Local Blog!
It's nice to be one of the (unpaid) guest bloggers on the New York Times' Local blog for Fort Greene -- especially because Greenlight Bookstore is local news. Today's post "Lit Life: A Bookstore Becoming" fills in the blog readers about our new space and our community lender program.
Looking forward to the reader feedback, and to expanding our community!
Looking forward to the reader feedback, and to expanding our community!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Community Lender Update
I've spent this morning working on getting in touch with everyone who has expressed interest in becoming a community lender for Greenlight Bookstore. (If you're interested and I've somehow missed you, email me here or here and I'll happily send you the documents and details.) Here's what I told them:
After conferring with our lawyer and accountant, Rebecca and I have finalized the new terms of the loan and promissory note for community lenders. Basically, we're giving lenders the option of choosing their own interest rate, between 2.5% (just above the minimum required by the IRS) and 4% (just above the prime rate). The loans of $1000 or more will be paid back by Greenlight Bookstore with quarterly payments over five years, beginning one year from the opening date of the bookstore (this gives us a grace period during the traditionally difficult first year of business). Interest begins to accrue on June 1, 2009, and will be compounded annually.
In addition to getting your loan back with interest, community lenders get the employee discount of 30% off all purchases at Greenlight until the loan is paid in full. And they'll get special "community lender privileges" like advance notice of author appearances, sales and other store functions throughout the life of the bookstore.
Additionally, lenders at the $10K+ level will be included in meetings (probably quarterly) of the bookstore's Advisory Council, to get in-depth updates on the store's progress. We're also working out details of an optional "lender internship" for high-level investors, in which they'd have the chance to experience the various parts of the store's operations, such as buying, receiving, hosting events, etc.
Thanks again to all our community lenders. We're so delighted and honored by your support, and we think it will prove to be extremely worthwhile.
After conferring with our lawyer and accountant, Rebecca and I have finalized the new terms of the loan and promissory note for community lenders. Basically, we're giving lenders the option of choosing their own interest rate, between 2.5% (just above the minimum required by the IRS) and 4% (just above the prime rate). The loans of $1000 or more will be paid back by Greenlight Bookstore with quarterly payments over five years, beginning one year from the opening date of the bookstore (this gives us a grace period during the traditionally difficult first year of business). Interest begins to accrue on June 1, 2009, and will be compounded annually.
In addition to getting your loan back with interest, community lenders get the employee discount of 30% off all purchases at Greenlight until the loan is paid in full. And they'll get special "community lender privileges" like advance notice of author appearances, sales and other store functions throughout the life of the bookstore.
Additionally, lenders at the $10K+ level will be included in meetings (probably quarterly) of the bookstore's Advisory Council, to get in-depth updates on the store's progress. We're also working out details of an optional "lender internship" for high-level investors, in which they'd have the chance to experience the various parts of the store's operations, such as buying, receiving, hosting events, etc.
Thanks again to all our community lenders. We're so delighted and honored by your support, and we think it will prove to be extremely worthwhile.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Who We've Been Talking To and What We've Been Doing
(or, If Rebecca and Jessica Have Seemed Scarce Lately, Here Are Some Reasons Why.)
Who: a financial adviser with Pace University Small Business Development
What: putting together a massive binder-full of loan application materials, with much good advice given and high hopes of securing significant funding.
Who: a Brooklyn-based architectural firm
What: negotiating a contract to oversee the buildout, and talking about our needs and ideas for creating a beautiful bookstore out of a former office space.
Who: the Fort Greene landlords
What: talking about the lease terms, with which they've been consistently reasonable and generous -- but it's a long process.
Who: community lenders
What: talking about loan amounts and interest rates (your generosity amazes us!)
Who: the ABA, our accountant, our lawyer
What: getting advice on the items above.
Who: artistically-minded friends and colleagues
What: soliciting logo ideas and talking through their creations.
Who: our friends, coworkers, and random acquaintances
What: responding to their kind curiosity about the bookstore process, while trying not to bore them silly with too many of the details that currently obsess us!
The result of all of this talking and doing: things are coming together. We're still in the middle of it, but we're moving in the direction we want to be going. Thanks to all of you who are helping and listening to us and bearing with our busy-ness -- as always, we'll keep you posted.
Who: a financial adviser with Pace University Small Business Development
What: putting together a massive binder-full of loan application materials, with much good advice given and high hopes of securing significant funding.
Who: a Brooklyn-based architectural firm
What: negotiating a contract to oversee the buildout, and talking about our needs and ideas for creating a beautiful bookstore out of a former office space.
Who: the Fort Greene landlords
What: talking about the lease terms, with which they've been consistently reasonable and generous -- but it's a long process.
Who: community lenders
What: talking about loan amounts and interest rates (your generosity amazes us!)
Who: the ABA, our accountant, our lawyer
What: getting advice on the items above.
Who: artistically-minded friends and colleagues
What: soliciting logo ideas and talking through their creations.
Who: our friends, coworkers, and random acquaintances
What: responding to their kind curiosity about the bookstore process, while trying not to bore them silly with too many of the details that currently obsess us!
The result of all of this talking and doing: things are coming together. We're still in the middle of it, but we're moving in the direction we want to be going. Thanks to all of you who are helping and listening to us and bearing with our busy-ness -- as always, we'll keep you posted.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
New Lit Life in the NYT
My profile on Emily Takoudes, a lovely member of the Fort Greene literati, went up on the New York Times' Local blog yesterday. Check it out!
I met Emily back at our bookstore party in September, and it was great to reconnect. I'm grateful to her for connecting me with lots of the other bookish folks in the neighborhood -- and for her enthusiasm about books, food, and Brooklyn.
If you're a Facebooker, you can also check out the group Emily created for Fort Greene / Clinton Hill Publishing. And don't forget to become a fan of Greenlight Bookstore on our page while you're there!
I met Emily back at our bookstore party in September, and it was great to reconnect. I'm grateful to her for connecting me with lots of the other bookish folks in the neighborhood -- and for her enthusiasm about books, food, and Brooklyn.
If you're a Facebooker, you can also check out the group Emily created for Fort Greene / Clinton Hill Publishing. And don't forget to become a fan of Greenlight Bookstore on our page while you're there!
Friday, April 10, 2009
News from Greenlight Bookstore
Hello! Spring is in the air and things, they are a-happening...
______________________
A few months back, we announced that it was a "yellow light for Greenlight" (thanks to our fellow bookseller and friend Kelly for the imagery). We were uncertain whether the state of the economy would allow us to open on the timeline we had hoped, and we weren't finding a retail space that suited our needs, so we put things on hold and laid low for a while.
In the meantime, we were still keeping our minds (and hearts) open to finding the perfect space, and at last it looks like we may have found it. We are currently in lease negotiations for a wonderful space right in the heart of Fort Greene! (We'd love to tell you more - give us a week or two so that we can ensure things are going forward before we reveal our location.) If all goes as we hope, we're looking at a lease beginning in the next month or two, a few months for buildout, and a tentative opening in late summer or early fall.
Of course, this great news means that a lot of other things have to come together VERY quickly: most notably, the money stuff. In order to build, outfit and stock the bookstore right, we still have to raise a certain amount of additional capital. While we don't need to have cash in hand immediately, in order to commit to this venture now, we do need to know that we can count on it coming in (eventually.)
We are working on traditional financing options (SBA loans, small business grants, etc.), but we would like as much of our funding to come from our community as possible. With this in mind, we thought it would be a good time to come back to you, our supporters, about the option of community loans. Some of you (you know who you are) have already committed to loaning money to Greenlight under our Community Lender promissory note terms (detailed below.) We thank you! Acting as a lender to Greenlight Bookstore is an investment in your community, and in the book culture of New York City. Now we're putting out the call to those of you we haven't heard from yet: we can use your help as well.
We know economic times are tough, and that's one of the reasons why we feel putting your money into a community venture like Greenlight Bookstore is one of the best investments you can make. As the loan terms below dictate, this is a transaction a lot like putting your money into a CD: you get it back, with interest, after a certain amount of time. There is a certain risk involved - but given the support for the bookstore project we've already seen in Fort Greene, and our 25 years of experience in the book industry, we feel it's a risk worth taking. We'd love it if we could pay back our loans right into the community (that is, the neighborhood AND our friends and colleagues) that has already supported us in so many other ways.
If you're interested in becoming a community lender, we ask that you reply to us with an expression of interest, any questions you may have, and the approximate amount you're interested in investing. You're naturally not legally obligated until you sign the promissory note, but we ask that you be as certain as possible of your commitment level, so we can estimate the amount of community loans we can factor into our startup capital. It may take us a little time to get back to you as we work to pull all our applications together, but we WILL be in touch, and will work out details and paperwork with you based on your interest.
Thanks again to those of you who have already become Community Lenders to Greenlight Bookstore, and thanks in advance to those of you who can search your hearts (and your pockets) to support this project. Investing in an independent bookstore, and investing in your community, means earning a return on your investment that is more than just financial.
We'll definitely keep you posted on how things are going!
Best,
Jessica and Rebecca
Greenlight Bookstore
__________________
Community Lender Terms
Community Lenders will commit amounts from $1,000 to $10,000 in the form of a loan. (Anything above $10,000 we can discuss both terms and interest rates separately.) Loans will be repaid by Greenlight Bookstore in quarterly installments over a period of five years, beginning one year from the opening date of the bookstore.* Loans will be repaid at an interest rate between 0% and 4%, determined by the lender.** Interest will be compounded annually, and loans will be administered by promissory note. Community Lenders will also earn status as Founding Members of Greenlight Bookstore, with ongoing privileges throughout the life of the store.
* This one-year grace period allows the store to get on its feet during the more challenging first year, and ensures that payments will follow regularly afterward.
* * We offer an adjustable interest rate so that lenders can decide what return rate makes the most sense for both the bookstore and for the sake of their loan.
______________________
A few months back, we announced that it was a "yellow light for Greenlight" (thanks to our fellow bookseller and friend Kelly for the imagery). We were uncertain whether the state of the economy would allow us to open on the timeline we had hoped, and we weren't finding a retail space that suited our needs, so we put things on hold and laid low for a while.
In the meantime, we were still keeping our minds (and hearts) open to finding the perfect space, and at last it looks like we may have found it. We are currently in lease negotiations for a wonderful space right in the heart of Fort Greene! (We'd love to tell you more - give us a week or two so that we can ensure things are going forward before we reveal our location.) If all goes as we hope, we're looking at a lease beginning in the next month or two, a few months for buildout, and a tentative opening in late summer or early fall.
Of course, this great news means that a lot of other things have to come together VERY quickly: most notably, the money stuff. In order to build, outfit and stock the bookstore right, we still have to raise a certain amount of additional capital. While we don't need to have cash in hand immediately, in order to commit to this venture now, we do need to know that we can count on it coming in (eventually.)
We are working on traditional financing options (SBA loans, small business grants, etc.), but we would like as much of our funding to come from our community as possible. With this in mind, we thought it would be a good time to come back to you, our supporters, about the option of community loans. Some of you (you know who you are) have already committed to loaning money to Greenlight under our Community Lender promissory note terms (detailed below.) We thank you! Acting as a lender to Greenlight Bookstore is an investment in your community, and in the book culture of New York City. Now we're putting out the call to those of you we haven't heard from yet: we can use your help as well.
We know economic times are tough, and that's one of the reasons why we feel putting your money into a community venture like Greenlight Bookstore is one of the best investments you can make. As the loan terms below dictate, this is a transaction a lot like putting your money into a CD: you get it back, with interest, after a certain amount of time. There is a certain risk involved - but given the support for the bookstore project we've already seen in Fort Greene, and our 25 years of experience in the book industry, we feel it's a risk worth taking. We'd love it if we could pay back our loans right into the community (that is, the neighborhood AND our friends and colleagues) that has already supported us in so many other ways.
If you're interested in becoming a community lender, we ask that you reply to us with an expression of interest, any questions you may have, and the approximate amount you're interested in investing. You're naturally not legally obligated until you sign the promissory note, but we ask that you be as certain as possible of your commitment level, so we can estimate the amount of community loans we can factor into our startup capital. It may take us a little time to get back to you as we work to pull all our applications together, but we WILL be in touch, and will work out details and paperwork with you based on your interest.
Thanks again to those of you who have already become Community Lenders to Greenlight Bookstore, and thanks in advance to those of you who can search your hearts (and your pockets) to support this project. Investing in an independent bookstore, and investing in your community, means earning a return on your investment that is more than just financial.
We'll definitely keep you posted on how things are going!
Best,
Jessica and Rebecca
Greenlight Bookstore
__________________
Community Lender Terms
Community Lenders will commit amounts from $1,000 to $10,000 in the form of a loan. (Anything above $10,000 we can discuss both terms and interest rates separately.) Loans will be repaid by Greenlight Bookstore in quarterly installments over a period of five years, beginning one year from the opening date of the bookstore.* Loans will be repaid at an interest rate between 0% and 4%, determined by the lender.** Interest will be compounded annually, and loans will be administered by promissory note. Community Lenders will also earn status as Founding Members of Greenlight Bookstore, with ongoing privileges throughout the life of the store.
* This one-year grace period allows the store to get on its feet during the more challenging first year, and ensures that payments will follow regularly afterward.
* * We offer an adjustable interest rate so that lenders can decide what return rate makes the most sense for both the bookstore and for the sake of their loan.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Author Nelson George on his own Fort Greene
Nelson George, author of the forthcoming memoir City Kid: A Writer’s Memoir of Ghetto Life and Post-Soul Success, has an interesting meditation in today's New York Times on the changing face of Fort Greene.
George moved to the neighborhood in 1985 and views the area as a "crucial black artistic enclave." Like many New Yorkers, he's regretful to see his neighborhood change from the way it was when he first encountered it, and wonders about the changing race and class dynamics of the neighborhood. It's a valuable piece for the portrait of one writer's history in Brooklyn, and as a starting point for thinking about Fort Greene's identity. A conversation about the article and related issues is already underway on Brownstoner; feel free to wade in with your opinions.
I'm following this discussion closely, hoping for additional insights into what I've observed and learned about the neighborhood. To me, Fort Greene seems like a wonderful example of racial co-habitation and community -- it's one of the reasons I love it. But it always hurts when things change around you, and I know that racial tension is probably always a presence in Brooklyn to some degree. I'm curious what Fort Greene's current crop of writers, readers, and artists think.
George moved to the neighborhood in 1985 and views the area as a "crucial black artistic enclave." Like many New Yorkers, he's regretful to see his neighborhood change from the way it was when he first encountered it, and wonders about the changing race and class dynamics of the neighborhood. It's a valuable piece for the portrait of one writer's history in Brooklyn, and as a starting point for thinking about Fort Greene's identity. A conversation about the article and related issues is already underway on Brownstoner; feel free to wade in with your opinions.
I'm following this discussion closely, hoping for additional insights into what I've observed and learned about the neighborhood. To me, Fort Greene seems like a wonderful example of racial co-habitation and community -- it's one of the reasons I love it. But it always hurts when things change around you, and I know that racial tension is probably always a presence in Brooklyn to some degree. I'm curious what Fort Greene's current crop of writers, readers, and artists think.
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