By Kim Velsey 7/26/12 10:10am

Please Give

St. Mark's Last Stand: the bookstore turns to crowdfunding (full-stop.net)

St. Mark’s Bookshop Jumps On Crowdfunding Bandwagon

After trying just about everything everything else to survive, St. Mark’s Bookshop is finally turning to crowdfunding. It was about time. From Brooklyn’s Broken Angel house to the Lower East Side’s Cake Shop, crowdfunding has become a favorite of beloved but penurious institutions and not-quite-lost causes.

St. Mark’s, hoping to help fund a move to a cheaper location, has launched a Lucky Ant campaign to crowdsource $23,000, according to Crain’s. Like so many other stores and people who have long called Manhattan home, the book store can’t afford to pay its rent and needs to relocate. With its rent reduction of $2,500 a month from landlord Cooper Union set to expire in November, the store is now trying to marshal funds for a move. Read More

By Emily Witt 11/03/11 9:00am

Rent Checks

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St. Mark's Bookshop Spared Rental Doom

St. Mark’s Bookshop has finally struck a deal with its landlord, Cooper Union, to lower its rent. According to this New York Times article the university is having financial problems of its own and might begin charging tuition, but Scott Stringer, the Manhattan borough president, has intervened for the time being to negotiate a deal between the college and the book store. Read More

By Emily Witt 10/13/11 9:40am

Bookstores

Prince Street - McNally Jackson Bookstore

We Do Love Indie Bookstores, We Really Do!

An outpouring of love for independent bookstores has erupted in the New York press lately. This love is prompted, alas, by the mass extinction of bookstores across the country. It’s unclear whether the love will translate into steady sales for the stores, but it’s given us some nice reading. Read More

By Emily Witt 8/04/11 8:04am

Everything Must Go

Borders Begins Liquidation Sales At Its 399 Bookstores

Borders Books: the Reckoning

A former employee of Borders writes a tell-all about the experience as the bookstore chain goes under for good. He reserves his most potent derision for Borders’ decision to avoid building its business online:

In 2001, Borders would go on to partner with Amazon.com, allowing the online book retailer to handle their internet Read More