Help Me Open this Black, Queer Owned Bookstore!
Hello everyone! First, I just want to thank you for even reading what I have to say.
My name is Brittany Miller. I am a fat, black, queer, book hoarding poet who resides in Grand Rapids, MI who is looking to open my very own bookstore! That’s right, a bookstore!
So, what inspired me to open my own bookstore?
I could say that from a very young age, I found safety in the pages of a great story, no matter where that story took me. But that wasn’t it. It was February, when I spent 3 days in the mountains with a small circle of writers, creators and moving spirits that made me aware of the safety a nourishing environment allows for ones creativity. Before that retreat, I was spiraling but worse, I wasn’t creating, I wasn’t reading because I didn’t feel the safety the world used to provide me. I went home changed and gratefulfor the power of a magical sanctuary, which is what I want to provide for my community.
For me, it’s not just about owning a bookstore. It’s about creating community, safety and a place of healing for everyone who walks through the doors. I look forward to seeing customers curling up in the chairs in the corner on a rainy day with their worn copies of their favorite novels. I want to see writers and creators come together for open mics at the front of the store,engaging with their craft. I want to see everyone leave with a new adventure in their hands.
What I want as a bookstore owner is more about changing the world and providing much needed healing for all who enter.
Please know that all funds raised are strictly for the beginnings of my bookstore, which include the purchasing of technology/equipment, inventory, storage space and licensing. This is an approximate amount, given the amount of time it will take me to get things together while I work with a bank and realtor. It’s going to be a hard process but I know it will be worth it in the end and I cannot wait to open those doors.
Thank you for reading, it means more than youknow.
Much love,
Brittany
