Hi! My name is Miriam Castiglione. Twenty years ago, my husband brought his book binding and book restoration skills from Italy to Memphis. Joining forces with the owner of J & K Custom Binding, they found a great community workspace in a shopping center at the intersection of Quince and Perkins. Alfonso took over the business in 2006 and our son, Salvatore, took over after my husband's retirement, always in the Quince Road location. Two nights ago our workshop, along with those of the other tenants, was destroyed in a fire, probably caused by arson. This is a bitter circumstance, causing so much upheaval, hardship, and loss of livelihood. J & K Custom Binding is a unique business, the only one of its kind in Memphis, and one of just a few in the entire South. We do not want to close down! There are customers who have come to know and trust the services offered by J & K, such as the rebinding of precious books and Bibles, binding of theses, name stamping, and small-scale library binding. If you would like to help keep J & K Custom Binding as a wonderful part of the Memphis tradition of self-employed artisans, your contributions would be greatly appreciated. This funding would help cover the loss of income while a new work location is found, help purchase the supplies that were lost in the fire, and help us keep going as we rebuild the business. Thank you very much!