A Series of unfortunate Updates
First off, let me introduce myself: I’m Grumpy. Grumpy Pants McGregor. You can just call me Grumps.
I’m grumpy for a number of reasons, but mainly because everything is taking WAY longer than we expected. You know how everyone gives you all kinds of advice when you’re newly pregnant? “You’re gonna be so tired!”—or—“Make sure you sleep while they’re sleeping”—or even—“Brandy to put em to sleep; Whiskey to get em to hush up.” Don’t ask me who’s offering that last gem. But then when you actually have the baby, and you’re now responsible for keeping this little bundle alive, you keep thinking: Why did no one tell me it was going to be like THIS?! You had that, right?
Well, opening a storefront is very much like that. Everyone thinks [this one thing] is the most important, or [that one thing] will set the business apart. People say things like, “I don’t envy you!” from behind a chuckle. Or “You’re so brave…” from behind a frumpled glower. “This [thing you’re very excited for and proud of] will be SO much work.”—or (from a shocking number of people)—“People still buy books?” And you think to yourself: Whattayou know?! Or something like that. You think, Ya it’ll be hard work, but it’s gonna be mostly fun, and when it’s all finished, we’ll have created something amazing.
This has become something a mantra for me. When it’s finished, it’ll be real deadly. When it’s finished, it’ll be real deadly. It’s gonna be real friggen deadly. I whispered it to myself as I was cleaning the toilet water that leaked from the second floor right onto our staging area. I whispered it to myself during the 10th, the 20th, the umpteenth hour of painting, and while I was breathing in the sweet scent of polyurethane, after Chantelle spent a whole 14-hour shift sanding the floors. When I sliced my finger open with a razor blade while scraping old stickers off the old windows. I whisper it to myself as I’m falling asleep at night. When it’s all finished, it’s gonna be real deadly! It helps, mostly.
Sometimes, tho, it goes more like, When it’s finished—But WHAT IF IT’S NEVER FINISHED?! Blaaaargh. I’ve even started saying the Blargh bit out loud.
10 things I’ve learned through this whole process:
How to reupholster chairs, and benches, and old bar stools.
How to build a (very small) wall out of MDF board.
I learned what MDF board was.
How to build a shelf from scratch.
How to re-wire a wall sconce into a corded plug-in, and how to change out bathroom vanity lights.
I learned that they call those things wall sconces.
That if you put the old screws from whatever you’ve unscrewed into your pocket, you’ll inevitably stab your fingers when you reach in to find a twonie.
That polyurethane fumes make you feel kinda spacey at first, and then they give you a wicked headache, and then you cough for three days. And it’s nearly impossible to get off your hands once it’s on there (Soap and water, then vegetable oil, then more soap and water, some more oil, some more soap—it takes a while is what I’m saying).
That paint thinner is gross, and the mess it makes is grosser.
I learned that vintage cash registers are heavier than they ought to be, and having muscly friends (and fathers) to help haul it is pretty friggen cool.
But the Number 1 thing I’ve learned through all of this is: You ready?
Here it is: Banks or contractors or landlords don’t really give two cares about your timeline. They all work in mysterious and unexplainable ways.
Let’s go over that timeline a bit.
-April 15, 2026:
Expected Possession Date (after extensive talks with the landlords vis-a-vis the realtor):—I quit my job on April 1 in order to prep for this (with a brief visit with Chantelle’s parents in Alberta in between). The building was transferring ownership as we were negotiating a lease with the new owners. Plan for May 29 Opening (admittedly overly optimistic).
-April 22, 2026
Revised Possession Date:—The sale was taking longer than expected. Original owner went on vacation and stopped answering emails or phone calls. The bank was delayed in lifting conditions.
-May 01, 2026
Actual Possession Date Plan for June 01 Opening (Still Very Optimistic)
-May 15, 2026
Expected Plumbing Repairs Completed:—Landlords tell us, “We want to get everything going as soon as possible because we know you want to get started." The lease agreement states they are responsible for repairing a years old leak, as well as discarding some soiled carpet.
-June 07-14, 2026
Revised Plumbing Repair Date : Turns out, work can’t begin until the upstairs tenants move out (June 01). One co-landlord says it shouldn’t take more than a week. The other says 2-3. Plan for Opening: ??? ASAP?
June 10: Arrive at the shop to find a perpetual leak from the ceiling onto our staging area. Plumbers are there within the hour to fix it.
-June 12, 2026
Plumbers finish and inspection is complete: Okay, Plan for opening: June 26, 2026
-June 15 - 19, 2026
Dry wallers patch the ceiling: Still Planning for June 26 Open.
-June 22, 2026
Actual first day for dry wallers: First day, here, meaning: They dropped off some tools. Still Hopeful for a June 26 soft open, July 03 Grand Opening
-June 23, 2026
Some actual dry walling happens
-June 24, 2026
Some more dry walling, I think? One guy was measuring and cutting things for a few hours, then left for the day. Not sure about this June 26 Open. . .
-June 25, 2026
Drywall is up and mudded. “When do you figure you’ll be finished?” I ask the guy.
“Oh, ya know, Monday? Maybe Tuesday? Probably Wednesday if I’m honest?”
“Wednesday?!”
“Well, you’re not my only job, ya know? I’ve got twelve other places to be.”
“Sure, ya. I know. Ya. But Wednesday?”
“Could be Tuesday.”
June 26 open is not happening. July 03 Grand Opening is Not Happening.
-June 26, 2026
I’m sitting at a coffee shop writing an update:Plan for open = Up in the air.
Lemme tell you what needs to happen before we open:
The building is split into 5-6 different rooms, depending on how you look at it. We have finished prepping all of the rooms but fot that last one in which various contractors have been in ’n’ out, in ’n’ out. Once they’re finally finished, we have to paint the ceiling that they just patched. Then we have to clean up the flooring (not sure how we’ll even do that; another thing to learn). Then we’ll lay the carpeting and set it all up with the furniture, shelving, and decor.
The other rooms are pretty much finished other than the back storage room which is currently acting as my workshop area. Once I get that cleaned up, it’ll just be a backroom that no one really sees. Our stock has been pouring in, so we just have to finish putting the shelves together for the main bookshop area, fill the shelves, decorate the place with all of our cool stuff (We’ve got some really cool stuff). Then we need to do some final finishing touches, repair some dings and dongs that have happened whilst prepping everything else, thoroughly clean and dust the place, hang the art in the art gallery, and whatever other minuscule things we’ll notice along the way.
That’s it. Easy. Right? That’s all easy.
Point is: We’re not open today (June 26), and it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to have our grand opening on July 03, the way we wanted (after some revisions).
So I’m sure you’re wondering when we will open.
Same, bro.
I will say this. If you want to stop by, and the doors are open, you are more than welcome to come check everything out, even today. All through next week, I’ll be in there, getting all of the finishing touches together, stocking the shelves, putting out our nerdy stuff, working in the bindery, and waiting for the drywall to dry (or whatever it does). As we get stuff out on the shelves, we’ll be able to sell it if people want to buy it. We can take orders if you want a book we don’t have. You can build a puzzle or play boardgames in the Rookery. You can give us advice about [the one thing that will make the Commons great]. You can have a coffee. You can even put money in the coffee-donation bucket if you want.
I’m trying to say, we’re not officially open, but the doors are open if you want to come say hello.
Over the past few weeks (after the sign was installed), I’ve had more than a few people wandering in, most are just trying to figure out what The Black Bird Commons is, a few have heard of us already. Some saw the old-timey sign I made claiming that we’re selling books. It’s been super cool just meeting people and showing them around, even if it hasn’t really been looking very bookshop-y yet.
As far as the final timeline goes, here’s what I’m thinking. I’m thinking we will Officially open on July 03, even if the last room isn’t finished, we’ll be open. You might see me bent over the floor installing carpet, but you’ll be able to peruse the shop. And then July 10-13 (Friday-Sunday) Will be our Grand Opening weekend. I think I’m going to commit to that, even if everything isn’t perfect. We gotta get going. Right?
See you soon.
