For a city of Birmingham’s size, we’re really lacking in independent bookshops. Sure, there are some great ones – Voce Books and The Heath Bookshop among them – but we can’t afford to lose any of them. So we were mortified when Bournville’s Bookshop on the Green, but was this the end?
It appears not, as the owners will be moving to Edgbaston in June to open Green Heart Books. The spiritual successor to the award-winning bookshop, known for a carefully curated selection of adult and children’s books, will span 1200 sq ft and will be the largest independent bookshop in Birmingham.
“Bookshops matter,” said Sarah Mullen of Green Heart Books. “They are a home from home, a sanctuary and a place of conversation. They provide stimulation for the mind and soul. At Green Heart Books, we pride ourselves on our warm welcome and excellent customer service, as well as our desire to build lasting relationships with our customers.
“We are very excited to be able to create a “bookshop of dreams” and to bring over a decade of experience in the world of literature festivals and events, as well as all my placemaking experience, to Greenfield Crescent. We can’t wait to get started.”
What will Green Heart Books offer?
To recapture the magic of the Bookshop on the Green, Green Heart Books will continue to host a variety of events and workshops, just with more room. It also aims to go a step further and launch a new arts and cultural festival in Edgbaston Village soon. You’ll also be able to relax and read at the Poetry Coffee Bar or be inspired by the Community Garden.
While a lease has been signed for 10 years with Calthorpe Estates for No.4 Greenfield Crescent, owners have set up a fundraiser (asking avid readers to donate the cost of a book £8.99) to ensure Green Heart Books opens on time. Donations will go towards building bespoke bookcases, fitting new flooring, adding the Coffee Bar and relocating the beloved Story Tree from the old bookshop.
Green House Books is aiming to reopen on Wednesday, June 12, only days before Independent Bookshop Week starts on Saturday, June 15. To learn more about Birmingham’s largest independent bookshop, or to donate money to its opening, head here.