BRINGING GREAT BOOKS TO THE STREETS OF TORONTO

Working with former bookstore owner of Clerkenwell Tales, based in London, England, we developed a mobile bookstore on a bicycle that would allow for great books to infiltrate the streets.

We started our project with a Classic No. 33 Pashley cargo bicycle and a compressed one-month timeline from design and build. Our objectives were simple: to design something friendly and appealing that would attract people, allow customers to browse and explore content, as well as facilitate the selection and purchase portion of the retail cycle.

The completed design features:

An adaptable book shelf system that allows for displaying books with various dimensions and in different orientations (spine out, face out)
Modular shelves that disassemble for easy storage or can be added or removed for an increase or decrease in book inventory.
A storage drawer to hold extra inventory or can also be used as a retail bin.
Removable and repositionable retail pegs to hang shopping bags or to display books.
Detachable waterproofed canvas covers to protect books from Toronto's sporadic summer rain.
Custom steel bookends that also serve as a stand for featuring books.
A matching chalkboard sign that can be stored on the bicycle during transportation and used on location to help attract customers.

theNDC also worked on the branding and identity for the Book Pedlar, creating a custom logo. We wanted to create a brand that was friendly and appealing, with a sense of retro. The logo features a modern take on hand painted typography, skewed dynamically to suit the mobile nature of the bookstore.

Specifications:

Material: plywood, steel, leather, canvas
Project Year: 2014