Reply to: I was thinking.....

[eek]

Actually I've thought about it and it won't work.
The people who would use an internet cafe rather than their own smartphone, ipad, or laptop would be poor, price sensitive types. They would use your shop for emergencies and woudln't buy anything.
You'd be better off having books and attracting trendly, left types, stay at home mums and the like .

My invoice is in the post.

HTH

Don't tell him that. I've actually seen it work in a couple of places recently but for the life of me I can't remember where (it wasn't somewhere you would expect tho).

Take a cafe, add some craft stuff (card marking or something) and you get a second sale of the materials they used. There is a cafe on the outskirts of Belfast where you can paint mugs and plates.

The other one was a cafe with children's bookshop attached (in Hastings old town) now a remember. If that works there it will go down a storm in elsewhere.

[sasguru]

I'm not talking really about book stores, more Internet cafes really.

Maybe fill the shop with Macs and IPads rather than PC's. Look much nicer and then sell very overpriced coffee and sandwiches to those with more money than sense.

Actually I've thought about it and it won't work.
The people who would use an internet cafe rather than their own smartphone, ipad, or laptop would be poor, price sensitive types. They would use your shop for emergencies and woudln't buy anything.
You'd be better off having books and attracting trendly, left types, stay at home mums and the like .

My invoice is in the post.

HTH

[TimberWolf]

Borders is missed. Our local is going to be a Wilkensons.

[sasguru]

I'm not talking really about book stores, more Internet cafes really.

Maybe fill the shop with Macs and IPads rather than PC's. Look much nicer and then sell very overpriced coffee and sandwiches to those with more money than sense.

Might work in London. But hasn't Stelious already done that with EasyCafe or somesuch?

[DimPrawn]

I'm not talking really about book stores, more Internet cafes really.

Maybe fill the shop with Macs and IPads rather than PC's. Look much nicer and then sell very overpriced coffee and sandwiches to those with more money than sense.

[eek]

Correct. The Marylebone store is a sanctuary. I was trying to analyse what makes it special and apart from the shop itself with its natural light I think he has a knack of picking the right books and making them stand out for his target population.
You';d need to have a deep knowledge of books though DIm, so that rules you out.

I know last time I wandered in there with my twins I left £100 lighter.

Its also one of the few places where I don't feel the need to get the phone out and order the book from Amazon (its probably guilt but it works).

[sasguru]

If only the new MD of waterstones wasn't someone who understood the book trade.

Unfortunately James Daunt is about the one person in the world who understands the requirements needed to successfully sell books in the internet era and I think he is already ahead of you on that front.

Correct. The Marylebone store is a sanctuary. I was trying to analyse what makes it special and apart from the shop itself with its natural light I think he has a knack of picking the right books and making them stand out for his target population.
You';d need to have a deep knowledge of books though DIm, so that rules you out.

[sasguru]

Borders closed for good 400 stores gone, 11,000 jobs lost.

Borders Group Inc (BGPIQ.PK) Key Developments | Reuters.com


People like to sit and read, browse and drink coffee etc.

Shirley now is a good time for Internet cafe/ ebook store chain to clean up?

Go in, browse ebooks/surf the web/wireless Internet, drink coffe, eat sandwiches.

Plan b for some enterprising soul.

Yeah do that in the North West of England and see how you go.

[Pondlife]

Shirley now is a good time for Internet cafe/ ebook store chain to clean up?

Go in, browse ebooks/surf the web/wireless Internet, drink coffe, eat sandwiches.

Plan b for some enterprising soul.

It's like paying to go to work.

[eek]

If only the new MD of waterstones wasn't someone who understood the book trade.

Unfortunately James Daunt is about the one person in the world who understands the requirements needed to successfully sell books in the internet era and I think he is already ahead of you on that front.

[DimPrawn]

Borders closed for good 400 stores gone, 11,000 jobs lost.

Borders Group Inc (BGPIQ.PK) Key Developments | Reuters.com


People like to sit and read, browse and drink coffee etc.

Shirley now is a good time for Internet cafe/ ebook store chain to clean up?

Go in, browse ebooks/surf the web/wireless Internet, drink coffe, eat sandwiches.

Plan b for some enterprising soul.

[eek]

I think he's getting confused. The thought is from the tape worm in his brain which thought 'Thin pickings in here'

Surely the only tape worms are in Milan's sawdust.

[MarillionFan]

Is that possible?
Next!

I think he's getting confused. The thought is from the tape worm in his brain which thought 'Thin pickings in here'

[sasguru]

Is that possible?
Next!

[eek]

... shall I stop there, or is anyone interested?

Its such a rare event you may as well continue.