The Chinese University of Hong Kong

The Second Corner
A Second-hand Book Cafe

ELTU 3110
April Shi

1155002072

Sunny Au

1155017471

Christine Wang

1155001878

Content
Executive Summary (April) ………………………………………………………………
1

Introduction (April)……………………………………………………………………….1

2

Existing Problems (April)……………………………………...…………………………1

3

Research (April)…………………………………………………………………………..2
3.1 Research Aim and Methodology………………………………….…………………..2
3.2 Research Results…………………………………………………….………………...2

4

Implementation Schedule (April)…………………………………………………………3

5

Promotion Strategy (Sunny)………………………………………………………………4

6

Operation (Sunny)………………………………………………………………………...5
6.1 Business Model………………………………………………………….…………….5
6.2 Location…………………………………………………………………….…………5
6.3 Opening Hours………………………………………………………………….……..6
6.4 Staffing…………………………………………………………………………….…..6
6.5 Other Features………………………………………………………………………....6

7

Budgets (Christine)……………………………………………………………………….7

8

Payback Period (Christine)……………………………………………………………….8

9

Future Development (Christine)………………………………………………………….8

10 Conclusion (Christine)……………………………………………………………………9
Appendix

Executive summary
In response to students’ needs for a second-hand book exchange platform and a reader-friendly environment that encourages reading, we propose to set up a secondhand book cafe called “The Second Corner” on campus. It would facilitate the recycling of second-hand books and the creation of a reading culture on campus.
Research has been done to forecast students’ demands for such a book cafe and to evaluate the feasibility of this project. Having received affirmative responses from students, the implementation schedule is then developed to launch this project. The schedule includes store rental, decoration, book collection, and promotions.
In the next part, we would elaborate in detail the promotion activities, for instance, opening Facebook page and inviting young writers as guest speakers. The operation of the book cafe, including location, opening hours and staffing would be introduced then. Budget is also developed to estimate the initial investment on store decoration, book collection, necessary equipments and promotions. We expect to earn profits after three-month operations. Revenues are comprised of consignment fees we charge from selling second-hand books, and the sales of coffee.
Finally, we have proposed several long-term developments for the book cafe. We would hold writing competitions, introduce a membership system and cooperate with the University General Education Office.

1

Introduction

Nowadays, there is a growing concern for environmental issues, one manifestation of which is that people are paying more attention to the recycling of resources, especially second-hand books. This trend has necessitated an introduction of a second-hand bookstore on campus. In addition, to cultivate a reading culture on campus and to engage students with reading, a reader-friendly environment is needed more than ever.
We believe that a combination of cafe and bookstore would be a possible approach to create such an environment. In view of the above circumstances, we propose to set up a second-hand book cafe called “The Second Corner” on campus, and we are therefore applying for the Campus Improvement Fund to launch this project.
“The Second Corner” will be operated by students. And it has two main objectives.
On one hand, it provides students with a platform to exchange their second-hand books. On the other hand, it encourages reading in the following three ways. Firstly, it is a comfortable and well-decorated place where students can read freely while enjoying a cup of drink without being limited by any library regulations. Secondly, it provides some social reading spaces where students can discuss books as a group.
Book sharing events would also be held periodically to promote such discussions and to enhance reading comprehension. Furthermore, as books are collected from students, the book