NoBooksOnTour.com got out to play!

This Friday, Saturday & Sunday, NoBooksOnTour.com returned to the Bon Accord Shopping Centre in Aberdeen, my first pop up in Aberdeen this year, and my first time back in the Bon Accord since, I think, 2018.

I knew I was planning this #NoBooksBlog post for today, and HAD intended taking snapshots of a day in the life of NoBooksOnTour.com - but I was half way through setting up, when I realised I'd forgotten. My bad, I'm sorry :( 

So, NoBooksOnTour.com was part of Curated Aberdeen, a fundraising venture on behalf of Charlie House, a charity who supports children with life limiting conditions, and their families, in many different ways. All stall holder's fees go direct to the charity.  Curated Aberdeen is located in the downstairs of the Bon Accord, and is open every Friday, Saturday & Sunday, with lots of different independent businesses and makers popping up throughout the year.  Some are there every weekend, some are there once a month, some are their sporadically - so if you're local, please keep popping in, because it is a different mix every weekend.

I made the decision late last year, that I would be booking very few pop ups this year. 2020 brought too many unknowns, and I wanted to limit that energy this year.  But I HAD to get to see my Glasgow customers (which I did a few weeks ago) and I HAD to get to see my Aberdeen customers, if at all possible - and Curated Aberdeen was the perfect opportunity to do so.  

I've always enjoyed showcasing in shopping centres. NoBooksWereHarmed.co.uk came in to being in 2014, and I have it in my head that it was March 2015 when I did my first shopping centre - and I'm pretty sure the Bon Accord was my first!  I could be wrong about all of these things haha time really does play with our memory!  Regardless, I've taken NoBooksOnTour.com to the Bon Accord many, many times, but don't think I've been there since 2018! So when I saw Curated Aberdeen were running this semi-permanent, curated pop up shop, I knew I had to try and get in.  

What a terrifically well organised event.  The location was dressed SO well. Corona restrictions have pushed many pop ups into shop units, rather than out on the main drag of shopping centres, and in most cases, they're pretty obviously 'old shop units' - needs must right now, better an old unit than feck all!  But Curated Aberdeen has put a lot of time and effort in to their shop front and interior layout and decor.  It is a shop full of pop up stands, rather than an empty unit, if that makes sense.  Really, really, beautifully done!  Bright, modern, so well lit, lots of space, a nice place to be for both sellers and customers.

Communications were effortless on the run up to the event, and stallholders were made welcome and looked after.  Just little things, like having access from the loading bay (strangely rare, usually, until you get to know the security teams at each centre ;-) ) - makes a MASSIVE difference to how a very long and hard day goes for us.  It really was a pleasure to be with Curated Aberdeen for the first time, and lovely to be back in the Bon Accord ♥

I really wish I'd remembered to take hunners of photies of set up day for you!  But I didn't *le sigh*

Maybe next time - hopefully (hopefully), NoBooksOnTour.com will be back at Curated Aberdeen later in the year - I'm booked in, I'm just not trusting 2021 fully, yet, so loath to mention the date ;-)