Glasgow Books Collective was an Industrial Common Ownership Movement (ICOM) registered group with 25 members. , moved to 488 Great Western Road, G12 in 1981.
The collective, involving individuals like Norman Mackenzie and Ian Brown, had previously sold books through stalls before opening a small unit in an indoor arcade just five weeks before Christmas.
Office work and storage had to be managed in people's homes due to limited space. They faced challenges with the high cost of property and difficulty in securing leases. There was a possibility of acquiring short-life premises from a local housing association.
The collective received support from Scottish & Northern and First of May Books in Edinburgh.
Sources:
Radical Bookshops Listing, Radical Bookshop History Project (November 2023) [Available online here, accessed 14.05.2025]
The Radical Bookseller, No.4, Jan/Feb 1981






















































































