Leaf and Groove [Closing]

Hi SE23. We are Leaf & Groove, we hope to be bringing books & vinyl to 57 Dartmouth Road to bring sustainable support for Forest Hill Library.

Please help us by pledging to our Space Hive crowdfunder.

https://www.spacehive.com/leafandgroove

If everyone could just pledge a couple of quid (£1-£5) to this it would show massive community support for this project to support & give extra funds to our library!

Told ya something special was coming to D Rd soon & you can all help us do this

What’s not to love about books & vinyl! & vinyl

@Simon @Michael @JohnRussell @V22Collection

Thanks so much @anon5422159 for your very generous pledge & to Claire Dow too, who’s one of my customers & follower on twitter after sharing this tonight.

Seriously everyone that just pledges a couple of pounds can help a lot with this, we all seem to be pledging ourselves on this one too.

pledging £2 really helps with this venture

Haha you kept this quiet! I might still have some vinyl prog rock in the attic…

Hey guys sounds great and really looking forward to seeing you here - I wanted to ask if you need some vinyl donations? I have some that could be interesting - various genres - please let me know as I live in Forest Hill and could pop them over,

For the sake of clarification and to reassure any of those who are concerned that the library service might suffer if this project does not work, please note:

Leaf and Groove is independent from the library. I am setting it up with Charlotte, who many of you may already know from @WatersSE23 and @FHGinClub and we are doing so at our own risk. I will be signing the lease on the building and ensuring the work is carried out and the shop opens. All profits from the sales of donated books and vinyl will then go to the library. There is no support required from the library and should the whole project fail now or down the line then it will have no impact on the library whatsoever.

Support for the library has been amazing, we are inundated with volunteers and donations, but we can not keep going back to the generous people of SE23 every year cap-in-hand, we need a sustainable income to keep the library open and add to the wealth of services we provide. Give a man a fish etc

Leaf and Groove will not look like a charity shop, it will be a supercool* book and record shop with all sorts of other great stuff going on. The Space Hive platform is not like other crowdfunding platforms, we are hoping to raise funds through it by getting grants from some of the bodies who use Space Hive to fund community projects. So please do donate (and thanks to those who already have) but if you can’t do that, then feel free to like and share the page as widely as possible, as the funding bodies will look at the level of community support when making their decisions.

*the fact I am using ‘supercool’ as a superlative should not be taken as an indication of how supercool it will be, and, also, coolness is subjective.

Yes please, very much so! They can be taken to the library or dropped at The Archie Parker if easier. Many thanks.

So happy to support this.

Vinyl is a bit narrow in terms of offering. Will you sell CDs as well? I have so many to donate somewhere.

Yes, I have no doubt CDs will make an appearance, probably some DVDs too, but the main focus is always likely to be the books. Thanks

Brilliant venture, good luck to you all.

Have you missed the memo? Vinyl is supercool (or uber-cool if we want to be really cool about it). Vinyl sales are way up. By contrast, the resale market for CDs is virtually nil.

Best of luck with this venture, guys. I may have some vinyl to donate. 80s stuff mainly. We have duplicates from when me and OH merged our collection.

Blimey - Amazing that you (and others) find the time and energy to do all these things.

Let me know when you drop them off so I can snaffle them up with the proceeds to a good cause. Sadly all my vinyl has gone in the many many moves I have made over the years. I miss my 80’s collection, and eyeliner.

I watched the Brits last night shouting: Who? Who? at the screen. So yep. Probably missed the memo. At the least didn’t see it posted at the cafe.

Guyliner.

16 posts were split to a new topic: The Dazzling 1980s

HI there - I’ve donated some money for it. I love the idea.

I’m a local writer - who’s debut novel The Life Assistance Agency has been chosen as part of WHSmith’s 2017 Fresh Talent - so I’m always happy to find local shop aiming at that well-read market.

The very best of luck. And I have a few books I’ll put aside to donate.

Tom Hocknell

My Idle Blogs of an Idle Fellow is here - https://tomhocknell.wordpress.com

I’m loving the sound of this. I’ve only just joined the forum, and recently moved into Forest Hill from Derby. I’d be up for volunteering some time if I’m ever free and you need something doing.

If I’d only known about this a few months back, I would have had a ton of books to donate post move! I may still have some to hand over, although I’ve already downsized the collection quite extensively

Shared! Great idea.

Welcome to Forest Hill, and to SE23.life, @wineisallforme

Regarding volunteering:

Massive thanks to everyone that’s backed this, it’s now gone past the 12k mark

Pauline’s in danger of exploding again. Stand back, everyone. Maintain a safe distance.

Just had a look at the fundraising page and am rather intrigued by the donation of £5K from ‘The People of Forest Hill’.

Yes, odd. When you fill these things out you don’t quite know how they will appear on the page - there was an explanation to go with, but it didn’t materialise. Essentially though, I estimate the library has been donated around £5k worth of books, effectively we could open a shop tomorrow and have more than enough books to stock it. It should say that rather than looking like a cash payment. Ho hum.

Rachael it’s the value of the books & records that have already been donated from peeps in FH including @HornimanMuseum

Actually it isn’t. Those have yet to be added. Update to follow at the weekend when finalised.

Even better then

2 posts were merged into an existing topic: The Dazzling 1980s or “As you were”

Thanks for the explanation, I didn’t think it would turn out to be something shady, but it certainly looks odd!

I got that Spacehive included in kind contributions. But that does hugely skew the amount raised towards in kind contributions. In kind is often the easiest to get. So how much cash do you need to make this work? Happy to push this out of course onto other social media.

The balance you see is what needs to be generated in cash (currently almost £8k) We hope that support will come from one of the funding bodies, possibly two, but unless the cash is fully funded then the whole project is dead in the water.

We know we have the books, the people to help decorate, some furniture, some vinyl and people to contribute content when we’re up and running, what we need now is the cash to turn a long disused building into something viable. As you can see from the images, there is much to be done to the structure, even before we’ve fitted book cases, signage etc.

and for a moment there I thought you were super cool

I was briefly vaguely-cool around 1993, but only for a couple of weeks. Of course these days I’m neither cool nor hot, I am super-tepid.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated.

Sorry I haven’t been around to respond, I’ve been up to my elbows in squid for @FowlMouths.

Really appreciate all the support, retweets, shares offers of books and pledges.

I shan’t be sharing any dodgy 80’s pics. I was 1.

I think I was cool for a similar length of time at the sam time. We must have coincided.

Youre still too cool for skool Tom.

I think @TomAngel kids are much cooler than him, sorry Tom!

I love the amazing dinosaurs facts Herbie tells me about, & Barnaby is just too cute

Hi there, what a great idea. I have some AV equipment, speakers, cables etc that you may be able to use. How do I get in contact with you? R

Hi Paul, that’s a kind offer. I have enabled private messaging for you, so click on @leafandgroove, then click “Message”

Thanks

I’ve just donated and I’ve shared on Twitter… hopefully all the funding will come through! Good luck guys.

Shameless bump

Help us secure funding we need to create a sustainable income for Forest Hill Library & a new hub for the community.

https://www.spacehive.com/leafandgroove

Two minds of this as it is sort of a charity to keep the library running. Exemption for charity possibly?

Sorry, I’m guessing that wasn’t allowed?

Hi L&G, ordinarily not. However I think we, the mods, need to have a chat as your offering is a community benefit. I will put it to the mods. John

I’ve reprimanded her, we’ll have no more of that. (this is totally untrue, she never listens to a thing I say, but she does at least now understand the thread etiquette)

Ah, no harm done here but as John noted we do generally discourage people bumping their own topics. L&G has good karma though, from my point of view.

If anyone’s on twitter please follow @leafandgroove and help spread the word by retweeting

This has gone a bit quiet today!

So spread the word, tell your friends & let’s hit that target!

Remember this is helping our library!

Every pound donated counts, so please all donate one or two quid to make a difference!

Pauline

Weekends are always a quiet time for the forum in general - don’t be disheartened

Request to all: Please avoid bumping unless your post adds some value to readers of the topic (with more information about the project, the people behind it etc).

If we maintain a high signal-to-noise ratio on the forum, we’ll keep our large local audience engaged, which will benefit future good causes like Leaf and Groove.

YAY, I think a website will be available tomorrow’

We’ve got a little update.

That’s fab news! Big thanks to @HornimanMuseum for all they do to support FH.

Wow, that is very good news. Fantastic community spirit.

Our website is now live.

Test your music knowledge with our near impossible quiz.

Please do let us know if there is anything glaringly wrong with it (the google map we know about and has made me want to throw the laptop at the wall so please don’t mention it).

www.leafandgroove.com

, funny laptop, wall, now for the quiz…

Well I was pretty crap at that quiz, hope others do better

It’s moving again, thanks @RachaelDunlop for
Pledging​:ok_hand:

A milestone hit!

50 backers

Did I read correctly that blues harmonica nights may be planned? I’ll have to dust off my armoury of them, it’s been 15 years or so since I was last accused of strangling a cat…

Yes very much so. We’ll have the RSPCA on standby.

13k hit today

Please keep pledging if you can & sharing, every £1 helps loads with this!

Nice write-up on @leafandgroove by local author and blogger @JimB :

Help make this cracking project a reality, either by sharing information and/or by donating:

Thanks guys for spreading the @leafandgroove word

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Many thanks Chris. I hope my post will play at least a small part in persuading people to pledge money to make this exciting project happen.

Kind regards
Jim
Former Chair of the Circle of Wine Writers
Ex-editor of Circle Update, newsletter of the Circle of Wine Writers (1991-2015 for 122 issues) : http://www.circleofwinewriters.org
www.investdrinks.org: dubious wine investment schemes
Also: investdrinks-blog – http://investdrinks-blog.blogspot.com/

Jim’s Loire: http://jimsloire.blogspot.com/
The Loire: the vineyards, the producers and their wines.

Les 5 du Vin: http://les5duvin.wordpress.com

Twitter: @jymbudd

#winelover

Have chipped in on Spacehive - books and vinyl very important in my life! Good luck…

Thank you so much, I noticed your very generous pledge

Fundraiser date for your diary @TheArchieParker for @leafandgroove

This coming Saturday evening 11th March.

Exact info will be posted soon probably by @leafandgroove @TheArchieParker or @Simon or possibly myself as they’re probably mega busy organising this last minute

Tickets will be £15 and will include an alcoholic beverage & unlimited chilli (vege option will be available too), board games and more!

So please save the date if you don’t have plans already

I’m working for free on the night, so could be cleaning your table, serving your food, telling you bad jokes, doing the washing up, checking out some vinyl to be played, or anything else I’m told to do!

If nothing else you will get a right laugh at me being told what work to do, and I shall do it - but I’m thinking I might give Manuel from Faulty Towers a run for his money - Geez what have I let myself in for

Article will be in South London Press this Friday

ETA

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Tickets to @TheArchieParker’s fundraising event are here.

http://www.thearchieparker.com/2017/03/06/leaf-and-groove-fundraiser/

Do you need some branding created for this project? I do a bit of hand lettering and would happily donate some time to create a logo.

What a brilliant offer!

Yes please! If you email us on contact@leafandgroove.com that’d be great!

What a lovely gesture!

Hi DickWynne,
If you DO still have some Progressive Rock vinyl there, I would LOVE to see it first as it is one of my favourite.genres!
Regards
Sue

Hi all,
Sounds like a wonderful night! I love old school games such as Scrabble and Monopoly & more modern kinds such as Trivial Pursuit so hope that this might become a venue for such events, in the future. I would like to attend such an evening as a guest but, in this instance, as someone with past history in catering I am happy to offer my services on the day/night, as Kitchen Porter/Food Prep, Waitress or general “Do Person”. Feel free to contact me via email scorpy_sue@yahoo.co.uk or on Mobile (evenings after 6pm) 07806 854513

Regards
Sue

I’ll have a look but there wasn’t much, first albums by The Nice and King
Crimson I recall, and much later (forgive me!) Sky – but my attic is not
easily searched!

Hi, Thank you for the kind offer but we’re all set for servers. Hope to see you there as a guest.

It’s past the 14k mark

Thank you Mike Wood whoever you are for pledging £500 this morning

The Best of Lewisham has now pledged £250

They popped by mine yesterday to give me a sticker for my window & to get a pic for their website (less said about the pic the better ) they love the community spirit in FH & I hope I didn’t talk the ears off them too much

It’s creeping towards the 15k mark quite quickly today

ETA

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@faultythinking if you were the one that pledged this morning thank you so so much

Sorry, it wasn’t me today…

I may have popped a couple of quid in the box, so to speak.

100 backers hit

Thanks @brencud & @Satchers for pledging xx

I was pledging the 6 quid to take it to 15k while you were probably both pledging!

thanks both 16k here we come

Article in South London Press today

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Please keep pledging Forest Hill, only 13 days left!

Amazing! Well done @Pauline, @Simon, @leafandgroove and co!

@Matthew_Benney has very kindly donated his time and talent to create some logo designs for us. We’ve whittled it down to 2 choices and now we want to hand it over to you. This poll is also running on Twitter but we thought we’d better add it here too. [poll type=multiple min=1 max=2]

• Logo 1
• Logo 2
  [/poll]

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Those are both brilliant - good work @Matthew_Benney I admire people that can hand-draw text as beautifully as this.

I marginally prefer the second design as logos that fit in squares are more social-media friendly

Just to caveat these are still quite rough and the winner will have a lot more love

Just picked up an email that says the article is also in “The Mercury” this week too

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What happens if you don’t meet the funding target? Are there other avenues to proceed with?

Sadly if we don’t hit the full funding then that’s the end of Leaf & Groove. We’ll have to sell the books we have had so far (not sure exactly how yet, that will be a management board decision) and so the donations we’ve had will not be wasted, but we’re still hopeful, a couple of fairly hefty donations in the pipeline… or at least we’ve got our fingers crossed!

Any way of doing a money to target countdown so people have an idea of how much is needed, very much like Pauline did for the Library?

We’ll pin a topic on SE23.life for the last 48 hours of the fundraiser.

Hopefully, just like the library crowdfunder, there will be a last minute rush of donations as people see the goal approaching.

Reminder to all - this is the crowdfunder page:

Thanks @anon5422159

A countdown of sorts has begun on twitter and I think we’ll be pushing that. As Chris points out, when I did the one for the library it pretty much all came in at the end. It was a flying start then a rush at the end that pushed us up and away.

I’ve certainly got no doubt Pauline will be reminding everyone as it counts down!

oh and I promise, after this one is successfully in place, no more crowdfunders for anything in Forest Hill from me!

I sure damn will be

I’ve already donated but I’ll spread the word. Fingers crossed!

Anonymous person!

Also @TheArchieParker who donated £200 a couple of days ago!

Can’t take credit for that one!

Quite a few flyers went from my shop today & I’ll do more when I open the library tomorrow morning

@Simon the Library Management Board made a decision that we want donated books that can’t be added to the stock to go to @leafandgroove SO…

Everyone please donate if you can & please spread the word!

10 DAYS TO GO!
16k hit

Come on Forest Hill we can do this

Have you tried tapping major local businesses that sometimes make donations to local charities as part of their CSR (corporate social responsibility) programme? I’m thinking Sainsbury’s at the moment…

That’s the plan for the coming week. Although @Pauline hounded the big businesses for the library crowdfunder I don’t think she has much luck. So not holding out much hope.

Had a very interesting conversation today!

Yesterday one of my customers who brings her grandkids in on Fridays took a flyer & said she would pledge last night - Her husband came in earlier today (specifically to ask about the crowdfunder) to say he checked out the crowdfunder last night & was asking how the big backers worked on Spacehive & would they definitely pledge etc…

#FingersCrossed

Just added a new piece of furniture to D Rd for the countdown

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SO, as a countdown was mentioned I’ll start it now

9 days to go
£16,547 hit
£19,826 needed
Just £3,279 to go!

Come on Forest Hill, let’s do this as we won’t get a chance to do this again - spread the word far and wide & please pledge what you can!

I did,& yup no luck with the big businesses- but Superdrug is coming new to the area so well worth a try I think.

I’ve been a bit cheeky…

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We’ve had another massive £500 donation! Just over £2,500 to go now!

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£660 pledged so far today
143 backers
Just £2591 left to hit the target

And a few authors have retweeted today, so hopefully 150 backers can be hit by the end of the day!

COME ON FH PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD & PLEDGE IF YOU CAN!

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147 backers now

150 by midnight please

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151 Backers!

£17,487 pledged

£2330 to go

LETS DO THIS FOREST HILL, ONLY 7 days to go!

COME ON!

ETA https://www.spacehive.com/leafandgroove

You just pledged Sue @Scorpion thank you xx

Hi there, what’s the best way of connecting with you guys? Best Y

Sorry for the late reply. Glad you’ve now managed to get in touch with us with your very generous off for our music collection. Someone will call you later.

Just got an email that this project is now 90% committed. GO LEAF AND GROOVE!

91% now! It’s been another amazing day. Nearly there.

Woohoo it’s gone past 18k

£18,005
Just £1793 to hit the target

Keep pledging & spreading the word please

Just bumped it back up on my FB feed.

Ditto!

Ditto ditto.

I apologise now to anyone that comes across any of my social media posts regarding this - it will stop when the target is hit

And like @Simon has said if this is successful we won’t need to bug anyone again for a while with crowdfunder’s - I’m not ever saying never on this but definitely not in a long while.

crossed for a great pledging day tomorrow!

Good night fellow Forest Hill peeps

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Less than £1,500 to go.

Could someone get a mop, a bucket and some ear defenders for when @Pauline explodes again, please?

What? I can’t hear you. I am wearing ear defenders.

Did someone say something??

Woohoo!

180 backers
5 days to go
Just £1295 until the target is hit

Let’s smash that target lovely peeps of Forest Hill, please keep sharing & pledging if you can

I’ve not posted in this thread for a while, but things are coming very close to the end now and it looks very positive and it is heartwarming and amazing that so many people have supported this project by donating time, money, books and social media sharing.

Thank you so much for all your support. We’re not quite there yet, but to get this close without any grants coming through is just incredible.

Brilliant news Simon, fingers crossed and ear defenders at the ready for when Pauline explodes

Your brilliant concept was what caught peoples imagination because it offers on so many levels.
And then there’s our Atom Ant rinsing everyone dry for the cause - and rightly so!

We are now only £903 away from being funded!!

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WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP

190 backers
AND JUST £903 to hit the target

Come on everyone, jump on this groovy train

@TimLund thank you for pledging today & for your blog
@Foresthillnick thank you to you & your OH for pledging today

Please share & pledge if you can & thank you so much to everyone that’s pledged so far

Go @leafandgroove

ETA

Forest Hill Society are engaging their members to get this over the finish line. Just got this in my inbox. Good work @Michael

Just £73 to hit target

Wow. That email seemed to do the trick. £50 to go.

Please clear Dartmouth Road and surrounding streets - a warning has been issued for Exploding Confectioners.

I think we’ve done it.
Well done to everybody who has been part of this.

Standby for an over-the-top message from @Pauline

Ear plugs in! Eye protection on!

Go for it Pauline!!

I’m In Dulwich and I think I can hear her from here.
Massive congrats and respect to @Simon, @Pauline, @Michael and @leafandgroove for this.

You’ve just got to love the good folk of Forest Hill. I am speechless. Thanks to everyone who has contributed.

Now, about those records you’ve all got hidden away in the attic…

OH will go nuts when I start buying records from you instead of giving you my old vinyl! (I know your lurking darling!)

So what happens next? I’m excited and I not even involved!

Woohoo

I YOU FOREST HILL!

AFRO - check SHADES - check LETS GO

Incidentally do you need a (floor-standing but can be wall mounted) variable-width wide-format projector screen and a digital projector? Both new and unused. I am working my way through the attic.

Somewhere up there are a guillotine and a card-folding machine…

There she blows!!

I was secretly hoping for another nail bar.

Congratulations you guys!

That was an amazing effort and a great achievement - and it’s going to be a fantastic asset for the town.

Well done and thank you!

Thank you so much everyone for all your support and sharing and pledging.

We’ve already had a few people asking about donating now that the Spacehive is over so we’ve set up a donate button on our website should anyone be interested.

So looking forward to hearing of your next steps.

What skool is this exactly?!

I am accruing a pile of vinyl that I no longer play. So i hope it will be of some use.

Thanks Tom, you’re a star,. Bag of sour raspberry berries on me for you, Herbie, & Barnaby when you drop them off

Hahaha!

Guess I owe SLP a big bag of blue bonbons

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Too funny

Could they apply for this funding from the mayor? https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/regeneration/funding-opportunities/crowdfund-london/about#acc-i-47068

Funding target was hit, @Simon of @leafandgroove has now signed the lease & keys should come any day with all builders etc waiting on standby to go - should be up and running in around 8 weeks

Where will the shop be? Apologies if this has been mentioned before.

It’s at 57 Dartmouth Road - right next door to Archie Parker.

Thanks! Will donate some books and no doubt buy many others.

You can drop off any books you have at Forest Hill Library anytime. If you also have any vinyl you wish to donate, you can drop them off at The Archie Parker before the shop opens.

Great, will do.

Thanks @Bruceshire for your post

Brilliant news!! Sorry, bit late to the party as ever!

I have a crate of books we need to get rid of this week - can we just bring them to the library?

You can either drop the books off at the library (which is overflowing now, so preferably not), my shop, or @TheArchieParker

Thank you

As a library volunteer & as much as I love books/paper, I am/my fingers are, seriously itching/twitching in anticipation at the thought of flicking through the vinyl donations once Leaf & Groove are open! I love many genres of music but will be particularly curious as to what might be on offer in the genres of Progressive and Symphonic Rock & Metal. If you have donated anything within these genres or are thinking about doing so, please let me know! Old, new, British or UK, other European, US or other, send me a message please. If your tastes run near to Pink Floyd, Rush, Yes, Genesis etc but go off way elsewhere, LET ME KNOW! Just SOME of my favourites & what IS wonderful music, within these genres, IMHO (are, Ayreon, Pendragon, Jorn Lande, Savage, Dream Theater, Riverside, For Absent Friends, Threshold, Symphony X and many more) I used to be an online DJ who played Independent Artists (unsigned to major labels) and most were available to Download free and there was/is some fantastic stuff out there. I am interested in Vinyl, CD’s and DVD’s. Just let me know what you have and how much you are looking for. Thank you very much for reading
Scorpy Sue

Look what we’ve got!

[edit] Photo removed because apparently keys can be copied.

I hope that’s a stock photo and not the actual keys that a clever burglar could copy

If a clever burglar wants to break in and do all the refurb work for us that’d be great!

And the work has begun as of 8am this morning

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I’ve got some books and records - shall I pop them into yours Pauline?

Gordon Bennett! You sure you raised enough money???

Yep Tom, drop them in anytime

I’m sure @leafandgroove did & the main builder is brilliant

Its been a month. Any fabulous updates?

There is no fabulous update. Things are slowly progressing. We are waiting for word back from Spacehive and we will then send an email update out to all pledgers.

Have a decent amount of decent books and graphic novels to be dropped off somewhere ideally Sat - best place if still collecting?! Cheers, Jonathan

Can drop them off at me for safe keeping

Any new update? Last one through Spacehive and about the stairwell and damp was June 30.

Actually there has a been a little bit of movement. We hope to have a bit worthwhile news later this week.

We promised worthwhile news and here it is!

Saw Fred in there, Woohoo it will be done in no time!

He’s the best by far, but attention to detail is his thing, so may take a little longer to get perfection I think - sounding bloody brilliant to me.

Love it & all the best

Just a quick update. The builder’s last day is tomorrow, the electrician has been and tested everything and only needs to do a small amount of cosmetic work, so decorating can start next week, I hope, hope, for the sake of my sanity and my safety (various leaning towers of books currently being dodged in my office), to be open in November and getting some of that Christmas trade through the door!

Hi Simon… I’m away for a few weeks and then when I’m back I’ve got to do a clear out of cooking books. I’m a bit of an addict. Would you be interested in these?

Most kind sir, indeed we will gladly take them. Cheers

I was just thinking about this - maybe when you’re in and have your stock sorted you could put out a call for things you’d like, or requests for ‘Please no more Dan Brown’.

Yes - @leafandgroove - please do use the forum to the max and let me know if I can help with anything. A wiki-topic for book requests would work nicely I’m sure.

I saw the finished building work today!

Superb!

All books & vinyls shall leave my shop soon.

Lol @Simon yes I have more, stock is looking good mate

A very kind lady brought four bags of books on the subject of trains into the library this afternoon. These included a carousel for a slide projector. I didn’t have time to check if there were any slides in there too!

Are either @leafandgroove or the library accepting donations of books at the moment? I have a box of decent ones I’d like to get out of the house before Christmas.

Me too - I need to clear my Dad’s house shortly and he has a ton of pop science bocks and other non fiction that will need a home…

I am currently burning candle at all ends trying to get open next week. So if you can hold those thoughts for a week or so then the answer is very much yes please!

Cool. I’ll tuck my box of books away somewhere until you’re ready for them. Good luck with the final stages of preparations!

Anything astronomy-related? I have a stack of such books but am always on the look-out for authors/specific subjects I don’t already have. Happy to make a small donation to an appropriate book-related organisation (eg @leafandgroove, FH Library) to compensate!

Ill make a note to give you a holler when I get down to the house to have a look…

I got a sneak preview today. Still lots to do but @Simon is a master of achieving small miracles to open libraries in impossible timeframes!

What struck me most was the quality of the stock. After a year of collecting books they have built up an impressive collection. So get in early to get a really great range of books.

Sadly the toll of running a bookshop is already beginning to show on Simon:

Thank you so much for your patience over the last few months. We are very pleased to announce that Leaf and Groove will open for business this Saturday, December 9th, at noon.

We look forward to seeing some of you then!

Where is it exactly? Want to be outside waiting

any sneaky hints at the records you got available on opening day?

57 Dartmouth Road

Perfect. Rearranging my day to make sure I can get there

Curious, what kind of vinyl are we expecting to see in L&G? Some choice cuts, or Max Bygraves and James Last LP’s?

Oi. Nought wrong with Max Bygraves. Superhero of suave.

you can have first dibs on the Bygraves @starman - I’ll happily take any old Dinosaur Jr, Sebadoh, Pavement, XTC, Throwing Muses, Black Flag, Velvet Underground, Buzzcocks, Bad Brains etc etc that’s left lying around after the Gilbert O Sullivan has been purged.

Please please please let there be Daniel O’Donnell.

Jim Davidson for you @wineisallforme

Love Rank - I’ll be after that.

I’ll add it to the pile

Perfect gifts for Secret Santa.
What could be better than an album nobody likes, on a format that nobody can play, and a size that is appropriately inconvenient to carry home.

Shhh don’t tell everyone, but I spotted Breakedance 2 Electric Boogaloo on vinyl in there last night

Good haul of Smiths, Dylan, Nick Cave, JJ Cale vinyl between myself and @wineisallforme - impeccable condition. Still some gems to be had.

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Great shelving with all the ‘chick lit’ in one place - including SQL, C++, and physics. Of course men can read ‘chick lit’ too!

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I popped in for a gander but it was rather busy. Good for them. Not for me. I’ll look forward to perusing the cooking books in the very near future… some of which I’m going to donate myself.

Also grabbed a Siouxsie & The Banshees live double album

Will be going back soon

Popped in today to drop off some books (they are accepting donations). @Simon and co. have done an amazing job - fully-stocked shelves after yesterday’s rush, and plenty of great books going for bargain prices. Check it out!

I’ll be popping in with a box of books this week and no doubt leaving with more.

Opening hours, for those interested:

I’ve never been in favour of literature segregated on grounds of gender.

When did you want to pick this up?

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I’ve already got that one.

WHst about this one?

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You tease.

I popped into leaf and groove yesterday for the first time. What a fantastic addition to forest hill. I spent ages in there. It is literally a book lovers paradise!

Thank you!

I agree. Popped in on the week and the guy working there was lovely, the ambience of the shop was great. If only I didn’t have a whingey little baby I’d have spent all day in there. Well done.

If you get any more books by Nicci French in, could you let me know please?

Pop an email over to contact@leafandgroove.com and we will be in touch if anything appears.

Thank you

Some of you may remember Paul Ian Cross, a local children’s author, coming to Leaf and Groove to do a reading and signing of two of his books during our Pocket Money Picks week. Paul also donated a huge stack of new copies of his book to us during our Spacehive campaign.

He is currently running a Kickstarter campaign details of which can be found here

It looks to be a really beautiful book and well worth getting behind.

Hi! Does anyone know if there is somewhere taking donations for Leaf and Groove while they are on holiday? We are moving away this week and I didn’t realise they would be shut and have quite a few books in need of a new home.

Thank you,

Maybe Forest Hill library - @Pauline @Bruceshire do you know?

Donations can be taken to the library if not too huge. We’ll be back on Monday 29th.

Perfect, thank you!

I’ve just seen the sad news on Facebook that Leaf and Groove is to close on April 2nd, citing rising rents and energy costs meaning that the original purpose of providing funds to the library is no longer tenable.

Oh no! This is so so sad. What a gem of a shop.

Damn that’s a shame

so sad…I used to love it when they had the bar open underneath.
Its shops like that that made me love living here and hopefully it wont be yet another empty shop or nail bar/hairdressers/estate agent/charity shop/takeaway.