Remember that shop I was running in the Spring that nearly killed me? Well, it’s back. Different name (because it also nearly killed Chris, who owns Created in Birmingham now, and he wisely wants nothing do with it) and a much bigger team this time. In fact my involvement is very slight. I’ll be working there a couple of days a week (for money this time!) and doing my moral leadership thing to make sure it doesn’t slide into being yet-another-shop, but mostly I’ll be doing what I do best – blogging and community.
We Are Birmingham is opening in October come hell or high water. We had a public meeting last week where I brought everyone up to speed and you can watch a video here or just skim my notes to get up to speed.
So, I’ve effectively got me a long term blogging project again. And, being me, it can’t be simply about the shop. While interesting it’s not interesting enough. I need something a little more.
I got thinking about where the shop had come from. While the Created in Birmingham shop in the Bullring was fairly distinct from the blog there was a desire to run it on a similar basis, in that it was attempting, however futilely, to be about Birmingham in its entirety. It wasn’t inwards looking, as many shops are, but reached out. When the Pavilions had a popup shop they banned the artists from selling in both. We responded by handing out their flyers and actively promoting them because it seemed silly not to. Created in Birmingham, as I crafted it, was a blog which pointed to all the good things happening in the city. It made sense that the shop did so too. Hence Chris’ favourite part – the flyer wall and tables.
So if there is going to be a continuity between the two shops being being managed by the same people it needs to embody this attitude. It’s built into the business plan that we’ll be a city centre hub for cultural activity across the city but I think that misses an important thing. The shop isn’t just a platform for the creative community. It’s part of a community in itself – the indie shop community.
I’ve decided that the We Are Birmingham blog will have three main strands. The primary one will be telling the story of the shop itself. Alongside this will be a CiB-lite strand about the artists who are in the shop and what they’re up to. And then there’s the interesting one which I’m currently calling No Shop Is An Island and which I introduce in this post:
So starting in a fortnight I’m going to start my journey, exploring the indie retail landscape of Birmingham from a We Are Birmingham perspective. From The venerable Swordfish Records to that new pottery shop I heard is opening in Kings Heath, I’ll pop in and check them all out, reporting my findings on this blog.
Like the Created in Birmingham blog I expect it’ll be an endless task but the mission will be the same. That by sharing and talking online in a genuine, human way to each other and our customers we can do better for ourselves. Or something.
Whatever, the fun starts on October 11th, probably with some easy ones I don’t feel scared to go in. (Clothes shops bring me out in sweats, did I mention that?) I would welcome, no implore you, to suggest where I should visit.
Yes, I’ll be visiting clothes shops. No, I’m not looking forward to this. But Aaron promises to help and I’m sure Fiona will enjoy the schadenfreude.
What most intrigues me most is where this will take me to. the CiB blog took me to some very interesting places after all…