Main fundraiser photo

HELP KEEP BOOK PEOPLE GOING!

Donation protected
UPDATE:  Great news! With the combination of Indiegogo, GoFundMe, and offsite contributions, we are now at $31,800.
Renovations are under way. We still need the remaining $18,000 to ensure that the store is able to continue on solid footing. Please continue to spread the word and donate! Thank You to all who have contributed.

The Book People Story:
Book People is a quaint little cottage nestled amongst modest homes in a quiet west end Richmond, VA neighborhood. We have been serving readers around the world for over 37 years. We are a vital and integral part of the neighborhood, and the city of Richmond, and with your help, we hope to be able to continue serving in that role for at least another 37 years.

Through Book People, Ruth Erb has been sharing her passion for books with the Richmond community and the rest of the world. Every day brings new opportunities to brighten customers' lives with the perfect book, a beautifully illustrated fairy tale for a young child, or a favorite novel which has been out of print for years.

Book People has something for everyone. Students find a wide selection of beautiful art books which even a starving artist can afford, and collectors find rare antiques. Book People gives the community an opportunity to meet local authors, and regularly hosts public fun events such as a monthly German Scrabble game.

David Shuman, the store's future owner, organized a crowdfunding campaign in December of 2017 through Indiegogo with a goal set of $50,000.  At the end of the campaign $14,000 was raised, but this falls short of the funds needed to complete all the repairs and purchase the point of sale system needed to maintain inventory and sales. It will take more work to stay open while having to compete with book sellers such as Amazon and large corporate stores.  

As Ruth considers retirement, we want to ensure that Book People remains a community gathering spot where a passion for books continues to be shared. As Ruth would say, we want to be able to "stay in passion" for another 37 years.  We need your help to make Ruth's dream a reality and renovate her book store.

The money will be used for:

Removing the original carpet and restoring the wood floors.
Making electrical improvements, especially improving the lighting!
New paint inside and out.
Restroom improvements.
Replacement shelving units (stronger ones!)
A sales counter
A point of sale system (which will help Ruth tremendously by keeping track of her thousands of books!)
Underwriting operating expenses during the time the store is closed for renovations and bridging the first three to four months of operations when we reopen.
These improvements are really the bare minimum needed to keep our doors open, which is why your contribution is so greatly appreciated.

Organizer and beneficiary

Diane Yane
Organizer
Bon Air, VA
Robert Shuman
Beneficiary

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