Hoxton Street Monster Supplies

November 28, 2010 12:53 PM

In Hoxton, there's a shop. Run by the Ministry of Stories (and funded by the National Lottery), the Hoxton Street Monster Supplies shop provides a free space to stimulate creative writing with workshops, publishing projects and one-to-one mentoring.

The workshops happen in the back, while the store front sells sweets as 'Tinned Fear', that come bundled with a short story to provide stimulus for writing. The 'A Vague Sense of Unease' that I purchased came with a story of the same name by Laura Dockrill (and some licorice humbugs). The 'Zombie Fresh Mints' are just mints, though.

posted by jim.christian (18 comments total)

826 Valencia crosses the pond, at least in spirit. Hope it gives some inspiration.
posted by lodurr at 12:57 PM on November 28, 2010

I'm a fan of the Bigfoot Research Institute. Nice to see it taking off.
posted by dzaz at 12:59 PM on November 28, 2010

So it's sort of like a UK version of the 826 project in the US? (Primarily a creative writing workshop for kids, funded by stores marketed for pirates in San Francisco, superheroes in Brooklyn, time travellers in Los Angeles, spies in Chicago, space travellers in Seattle, robot repair in Ann Arbor, plus the Bigfoot Research Institute in Boston and the Museum of Unnatural History in DC.)
posted by titus n. owl at 1:04 PM on November 28, 2010 [2 favorites]

Beaten while compiling my links, sorry!
posted by titus n. owl at 1:04 PM on November 28, 2010

Ha! I literally just visited this place yesterday. Had to walk up and down Hoxton Street a couple times (dodging market vendors and interesting SoHo night people) before we found it, but it was totally worth the journey. There's a cat basket in the corner with a notice pinned above it, warning interested parties to not stroke the invisible cat, because she's been really cranky since "the accident". The lady behind the counter also informed me that the shop isn't open on full moons, just in case. I picked up a Vague Sense of Unease and some Escalating Panic.

There are more photos of the store ("angry mobs please douse your torches before entering the shop") here.
posted by fight or flight at 1:12 PM on November 28, 2010 [2 favorites]

MetaFilter: I picked up a Vague Sense of Unease and some Escalating Panic.
posted by hippybear at 1:17 PM on November 28, 2010 [2 favorites]

I've taken my step-daughter to a number of workshops at the Robot Repair Shop in Ann Arbor. It's always a blast to go in there and she's always loved the experience.
posted by kbanas at 2:23 PM on November 28, 2010

This seems like a wonderful resource for the whole family and the merchandise is cute!
posted by clavdivs at 2:37 PM on November 28, 2010

lodurr and titus n. owl - the website say that this was specifically inspired by 826 Valencia, and was set up with Dave Eggers' blessing by Nick Hornby (he of Hi-Fidelity and About A Boy fame) amongst others.
posted by benzo8 at 3:31 PM on November 28, 2010

yup, gathered as much about Eggers' blessing, but didn't realize it was Hornby. though that's not surprising either, really.

obviously the 826 valencia model isn't a cure-all for the problems of public education, declining standards of literacy, or lack of support for kids' creative development (or put another way, "isn't scalable") -- but from what I can tell, it was never meant to be. it was meant to help who it could and maybe inspire some other people to find creative solutions of their own.
posted by lodurr at 3:39 PM on November 28, 2010

826 has been on my list to write for a long time.

I also quite a few small charitable donations, so have been meaning to get some cash and office supplies in the mail to them.

I love writing. I love encouraging writing. Thanks for the reminder.
posted by cjorgensen at 4:36 PM on November 28, 2010

Yeah, the wemadethis link fight or flight posted has lots more pictures. There's also a Flickr set.
posted by mediareport at 4:38 PM on November 28, 2010

I saw a link to this over the weekend, and it made me smile. Glad the 826 system has spread overseas.
posted by ardgedee at 5:54 PM on November 28, 2010

Hey! I hadn't heard about this at all, and it's just round the corner from me! Hmm... I wonder what sort of experience I'd need to be a volunteer?
posted by hot soup girl at 7:28 PM on November 28, 2010

After the coup, my new Norwegian government will totally have a Ministry of Stories!
posted by Harald74 at 11:52 PM on November 28, 2010

There was a long article about in the the FT a week or so ago, written by Nick Hornby.

(You probably need to register, but it's a very good read)
posted by DanCall at 12:21 AM on November 29, 2010

Hornby was also interviewed about it on Radio 4's Saturday Live at the weekend, for those who can access BBC iPlayer.
posted by penguin pie at 3:25 AM on November 29, 2010

Hey! I hadn't heard about this at all, and it's just round the corner from me! Hmm... I wonder what sort of experience I'd need to be a volunteer?

I volunteered about a week ago and have had nothing back, possibly because I'm more of a commercial rather than a literary writer.
posted by Summer at 8:42 AM on November 29, 2010