A message from Carl, owner of Cal's books:

"To all our many customers and book lovers that over the last half-century made Cal's what it is. The disaster has happened and the official assessment is in - I myself cannot possibly put humpty-dumpty back together again. BUT, I have been contacted by a group of local bibliophiles who wish to attempt just that. These 5 people are young,

smart, and enthusiastic, and for those reasons alone may be able to not only bring back Cal's, But actually improve it by finally giving it the labor force that it never had before.

At this point you are probably wondering, yeah great, but will it really be Cal's? And the

answer is, Yes, because they are also interested in keeping me on as a consultant. This means that I will train them in the art of used bookselling with all that that entails, hopefully resulting in a new incarnation of the same bookstore we have all enjoyed for the past 51 years. I have met with the group - Jasper, Quetza, Quail, Sage, and Raven, three times so far, and am gaining a clearer picture every time I meet with them. Although young, smart, and enthusiastic is all very good, it will not work well without being balanced by some levelheaded realism which this group has demonstrated to me that they also possess. Right now, thanks to this group, I am more hopeful and optimistic than I have been since that fateful solstice afternoon when the floodwaters started pouring under the front door. It is early days yet, but I promise you that if we can put this together I myself will do everything within reason to make it work!

Carl at Cal's Books."

For decades, Cal’s Books has been more than just a bookstore. It’s been a place of wandering, discovery, conversation, and connection. It is a true local institution.

Only a couple weeks ago, the streets of Redding flooded, and caused devastating damage to Cal's Books. Selling the inventory off to large vendors would mean the end of such an important community space. Keeping this bookstore local, accessible, and rooted in community is a priority!

That’s where we come in.

Cal's Books Cooperative is a community group working to purchase Cal’s Books directly from Carl, the owner, including the remaining inventory and fixtures, and relocate it to a safer space. We’ve met with Carl multiple times, and we are actively in the process of making this transition happen. Carl is deeply invested in seeing this succeed and will remain involved in an advisory capacity.

This fund is to help us:

1. Purchase the remaining books, records, and merchandise

2. Cover immediate costs related to moving, storage, and preservation of the stock

3. Secure and prepare a new location

4. Keep this institution out of the hands of corporate resellers and within the community

Time is critical. Some of the inventory is currently in storage units and needs to be stabilized and moved quickly to prevent further loss. Every contribution directly helps us save what we can!

Any size donation helps in immeasurable ways! And if you can't donate, or want to help in a more hands-on way, we need in-person community support as well. Our first goal is moving the books to a safer location! If you'd like to help, or want to get involved further, reach out to our email.

Whether you’ve spent hours lost in its aisles, discovered a book that changed you, or simply believe local spaces like this deserve to survive, we invite you to be part of this effort.

Thank you for standing with us, and for helping keep Cal’s Books alive.