About Us
Read our Pop-Up Bookshop story so far…
Chapter One The bookselling beginning
Chapter Two The Great Big Read
Chapter Three Our indie bookshop evolved
Read our Pop-Up Bookshop story so far…
Chapter One The bookselling beginning
Chapter Two The Great Big Read
Chapter Three Our indie bookshop evolved
Chapter One
Pop-Up Bookshop was established in October 2017 by avid reader and children’s book enthusiast, Vanessa Marsh.
During our business fledgling years, Pop-Up Bookshop exclusively sold award-winning children’s books created by the wonderful Usborne Publishing.
Harnessing event management skills from a life B.C. (Before Children!) working in the London hospitality, arts and charity sectors, Vanessa combined a passion for reading with creative, fun, literacy events to engage and excite Dorset pupils.
The core business aim was to instil a lifetime love of reading for pleasure in children, whilst generating vital funds to replenish books and teaching resources – often lacking at schools due to budget restraints.
Chapter Two
In September 2019, Vanessa founded the ‘Great Big Read’ initiative, working collaboratively with schools, nurseries and businesses, to get more books into education and promote reading for pleasure and inclusivity.
Working primarily with Dorset education, fundraising efforts skyrocketed and within 2 years a whopping £27,000 Usborne books had been supplied by Pop-Up Bookshop to local schools, nurseries, and families.
By the end of 2021, Pop-Up Bookshop had outgrown the Usborne franchise model; having saturated our regular schools and nurseries with Usborne books, demand was high for Pop-Up Bookshop to start supplying books from other publishers.
Our Great Big Read initiative was also worthy of creating a much bigger community impact as its own entity.
Chapter Three
In January 2022, Pop-Up Bookshop re-launched as a fully independent children’s bookshop, operating as a mobile and online retailer. With a keen interest in social entrepreneurship, Vanessa evolved a purposeful business model pledging to donate £1 from every book sold* to local schools and nurseries.
Pop-Up Bookshop now stocks a wealth of high-quality children’s titles showcasing books from favourite children’s publishers including Usborne, Bloomsbury, Campbell, Macmillan, Nosy Crow, Walker, Penguin, Puffin, Priddy, and Simon & Schuster, plus many more.
The Great Big Read initiative has now helped £40,000 books into local schools and is transforming into a social enterprise… watch this space!
*books sold at RRP (Recommended Retail Price).