The owners of a north London bookshop have been left “stunned” by the reaction to a theft this week, with customers donating thousands of pounds and stocking up on reading material in support.
At some point on Wednesday, around £600 was swiped from behind the Big Green Bookshop counter in Wood Green, a huge amount for the independent business to lose.
After owners Tim West and Simon Key tweeted about the theft, journalist Sam Jordison set up a crowdfunding campaign which was quickly inundated with donations.
Within two hours, the amount raised had soared past the £600 mark and currently stands at more than £5,400, dwarfing the original sum and leaving Mr Key in tears.
Mr West told the Standard: “When we put it on Twitter we did it just because we wanted to open a conversation and tell people what had happened.
“We had no intention of it going any further than letting people know and having people say some nice things.
“What’s happened since then has been absolutely amazing.”
Alongside the online money, people have been dropping by to donate, buying more books than ever and even providing free biscuits.
He said: “We were rendered almost speechless. It’s been a fantastic thing. It’s unbelievable really that people, in some cases complete and utter strangers, care that much about an independent bookshop.
“The crowdfunding has been fantastic although in a strange sort of way I hope it stops soon because with each pound I feel more beholden to people.
“On the other hand it’s still amazing and I feel the need to go and thank everyone in person.”
The shop, which has been running for eight years, will now be putting some of the money towards its new schools rewards scheme, which began a few days before the thief struck.
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