Support Audrey's Cookbooks Pop-Up Launch!
Donation protected
Audrey’s Cookbooks is an independent bookstore, specializing in new and vintage cookbooks, and hosting cookbook clubs for the curious home cook. This fundraiser is focused on launching the first phase of the business, which will be operating through pop-ups in and around the Twin Cities.
We believe that cooking (community) is for everyone and can’t wait to be the Midwest’s first independent cookbook shop!
What & Why?
Imagine a space where you can ask specific questions about a cookbook, or where you can describe a skill you want to learn or a type of cuisine you want to learn to cook, and there are experts to get the right cookbook (with the right recipe(s)) into your hands. Now add to that a place where you can connect with other home cooks who are eager to build connections based on a shared love and curiosity of food and cooking.
This is what Audrey’s Cookbooks is: a warm inviting shop where people at any cooking level can feel supported to discover the joys of making a meal at home.
Phase 1: Pop-Ups
Pop-Ups have been a successful chapter of many other small businesses in our community, and we want to follow in their footsteps as we begin our shop.
- We plan to sell our diverse, curated selection of vintage cookbooks, newly released cookbooks, cuisine-specific cookbooks, and the fun/weird niche cookbooks that push readers to have fun in the kitchen. We will “pop up” for one-time events at coffee shops, breweries, boutiques, and markets in Minneapolis & St. Paul. This way we can meet all of you, and provide a place for you to flip through the pages of a cookbook in person, taking a moment to note how the author sets up the ingredient list for recipes and guides you through a recipe before you buy it - something you can’t get online!
- We will also host monthly cookbook clubs for anyone to join! They will be hosted in parks, rented venues, and small businesses. Everyone who comes will prepare a different dish from the same cookbook. This way you’ll get to try lots of dishes and connect with other people who also love to spend time in the kitchen. Building a cooking community who loves to eat, chat, and cook is core to what Audrey’s Cookbooks will be!
Phase 2: Brick & Mortar Store
It is our big dream to have a sunny, inviting physical space where you can come for cookbook clubs, cookbook author tour events, workshops and classes themed around food, and to browse cookbooks. We imagine a cheerful space filled with bookshelves of cookbooks (not just a section of the store, like at most bookstores) with plenty of kitchen tables and wooden chairs to sit in while paging through books or attending an event. The space will be curated with displays, themed areas, recommendations from staff, and beautiful food-related giftables. We will also sell kitchen wares that are useful for home cooks, balance quality and affordability, which can be paired with the perfect cookbook for:
- A grandma who’s been cooking her whole life
- A nephew who is living on his own for the first time
- The avid home cook who has most of the standard cookbooks already but is itching for something new
- An aunt who has been hunting for the nostalgic cookbooks of her childhood
- The parent who wants to cook with their child to build life skills, bond with them, and challenge them
We are more than a year out on Phase 2 of the business but rest assured, we want to get a physical space set up as soon as we can!
What We Need:
For the pop-up phase of our business, we are looking to get some of the initial things needed to start a business. Melissa, the owner, has already invested close to $1,000, and is looking for community support to get things fully off the ground. Here’s what is needed in the short term:
- Inventory $1,500
- Insurance $500
- Lawyer fees (legal language for events) $300
- Point of sale (subscription & technology) + inventory system $300
- Packaging materials $300
- Signage $200
- Tables $200
- Tent $200
How YOU Can Help:
- Every dollar counts. Donate truly what you can, no matter how small. We believe in the power of community, and know that with many people supporting us financially, this can be a reality!
- Share with your food-loving network. Share this fundraiser through social media, email, text, or with someone in person. The more personal the message, the more likely someone else is to donate, especially if they connect to the mission and vision for Audrey’s Cookbooks, and then be moved to donate!
- Follow us. Sign up for Audrey’s emails on the website , and follow us on Instagram .
- Come visit us at our first event. We will have a table at Oxendales Market (5025 34th St., Minneapolis, MN 55417) for Nokomis Days on 8/3/24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and would love to meet you.
- Attend our first cookbook club in August. Details coming soon!
FAQs
What is a pop-up shop?
It’s a temporary retail space or booth. They are flexible and agile since they can move around, and are typically used to introduce a new product, test a new market, or generate awareness for a product or business, all of which apply to us!
Who runs Audrey’s?
Melissa is a home cook and cookbook collector. She has over a decade of teaching experience with a knack for building food-focused communities both in person and online. She reads cookbooks cover to cover and gets a thrill hunting for cookbooks while thrifting and antiquing. Melissa loves a lake walk, crocheting, watching TV, and hosting parties in her home.
Who is Audrey?
Audrey was Melissa’s grandma who lived in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Audrey loved the color red, winter, and chatting at the kitchen table for hours. Visits to grandma Audrey’s house were filled with homemade meals and sweets, and a fully stocked fridge of Melissa’s childhood snack faves: red grapes and slices of American cheese.
How can I support if I don’t live in the Twin Cities?
Right now we are focused on in person events, and then eventually a physical store. Once that is established, we hope to move into selling online! For now, you can support by sharing this fundraiser, donating TODAY, and encouraging your friends and family to visit us at pop-ups through the holiday season. You can also sign up with your email through our website for periodic updates and newsletters!
Organizer
Melissa Lindquist
Organizer
Minneapolis, MN