Lisa's Bookshop Dream
Donation protected
Bookshops are special. They are a respite, which we all sorely need right now. People come to bookshops for connection, enrichment and an experience. They come to get lost for a while, be surprised and discover something new.
We need this in our town! And we’re not the only ones saying this. Many people in our community say they want a bookshop. They don’t want to support Amazon.
Waxahachie, Texas, population 40,700, is a historic county seat in north central Texas. The closest bookshop of any kind is more than 30 minutes away. Our town, like the rest of our country, has been living separate, segregated lives. We need a place that brings people from all backgrounds together, building true community. We need a place where people can gather to tell their stories and hear others’ stories. We need a place where people can find books that comfort, challenge, inform, inspire and entertain. We want to connect people with books — connect people with each other using books and connect people with books that will enrich and enlighten them.
For years Lisa O’Brien has wanted to open a bookshop. Her love for great books and for her community drives her. We’ve taken the first steps to make this dream a reality by opening O’Brien’s Bookshop, a 10-foot by 12-foot space in an antique shop in historic downtown Waxahachie.
However, to truly benefit the community, we need our own space. We would love to open O’Brien’s Bookshop and Story Café in the fourth quarter of 2021. In this space, we plan to serve schools, home schoolers and community groups, as well as visitors and locals. Already local authors have started asking us to host book signings. We plan to start virtual story time for toddlers through teenagers soon and promote summer reading programs. We want to partner with literacy programs and book clubs, but all of this would be much easier to coordinate in our own space.
Story Café will be a part of this space, providing excellent coffee, tea and food items. Why “Story”? Well, obviously the café will be in a bookshop, an environment filled with stories. But the name has multiple meanings. The coffee will be ethically sourced to bless the farmers who care for the coffee and the land. The coffee itself will have a story. But most of all, the café will be a place where people can share their stories and hear the stories of others.
$50,000 is a massive ask, but we have big dreams! We will use the funds to choose great books that will inspire, inform and enrich the public. We will also use the funds to sensitively renovate a retail location in historic downtown Waxahachie and purchase equipment needed for the bookshop and café. By contributing to this campaign, you will bless everyone who enters the shop and hopefully have a part in bringing a town together.
Anticipated Expenses
These numbers are preliminary but give an idea of what it will cost to open the space.
Renovation for the space — $20,000
Shelving and furniture — $20,000
Book and merchandise inventory — $50,000
Café equipment — $25,000
As you can see, the anticipated expenses are much greater than the campaign goal. We plan to use personal funds and get a loan for the remaining amount required to open the shop. Any help you can provide to propel the campaign forward will be greatly appreciated! We hope all who contribute will come experience the shop and share some coffee or tea, a muffin and stories!
We need this in our town! And we’re not the only ones saying this. Many people in our community say they want a bookshop. They don’t want to support Amazon.
Waxahachie, Texas, population 40,700, is a historic county seat in north central Texas. The closest bookshop of any kind is more than 30 minutes away. Our town, like the rest of our country, has been living separate, segregated lives. We need a place that brings people from all backgrounds together, building true community. We need a place where people can gather to tell their stories and hear others’ stories. We need a place where people can find books that comfort, challenge, inform, inspire and entertain. We want to connect people with books — connect people with each other using books and connect people with books that will enrich and enlighten them.
For years Lisa O’Brien has wanted to open a bookshop. Her love for great books and for her community drives her. We’ve taken the first steps to make this dream a reality by opening O’Brien’s Bookshop, a 10-foot by 12-foot space in an antique shop in historic downtown Waxahachie.
However, to truly benefit the community, we need our own space. We would love to open O’Brien’s Bookshop and Story Café in the fourth quarter of 2021. In this space, we plan to serve schools, home schoolers and community groups, as well as visitors and locals. Already local authors have started asking us to host book signings. We plan to start virtual story time for toddlers through teenagers soon and promote summer reading programs. We want to partner with literacy programs and book clubs, but all of this would be much easier to coordinate in our own space.
Story Café will be a part of this space, providing excellent coffee, tea and food items. Why “Story”? Well, obviously the café will be in a bookshop, an environment filled with stories. But the name has multiple meanings. The coffee will be ethically sourced to bless the farmers who care for the coffee and the land. The coffee itself will have a story. But most of all, the café will be a place where people can share their stories and hear the stories of others.
$50,000 is a massive ask, but we have big dreams! We will use the funds to choose great books that will inspire, inform and enrich the public. We will also use the funds to sensitively renovate a retail location in historic downtown Waxahachie and purchase equipment needed for the bookshop and café. By contributing to this campaign, you will bless everyone who enters the shop and hopefully have a part in bringing a town together.
Anticipated Expenses
These numbers are preliminary but give an idea of what it will cost to open the space.
Renovation for the space — $20,000
Shelving and furniture — $20,000
Book and merchandise inventory — $50,000
Café equipment — $25,000
As you can see, the anticipated expenses are much greater than the campaign goal. We plan to use personal funds and get a loan for the remaining amount required to open the shop. Any help you can provide to propel the campaign forward will be greatly appreciated! We hope all who contribute will come experience the shop and share some coffee or tea, a muffin and stories!
Organizer
Ross O'Brien
Organizer
Waxahachie, TX
