Point Reyes Books, Point Reyes, Calif., has developed a program called community supported bookstore (CSB), based on the principles of community supported agriculture (CSA), the Point Reyes Point reported.
Under the CSB, customers can deposit from $150-$500 into a bookstore account, make purchases from that account and receive a 5% discount. The bookstore will use CSB fees for operational and community events during slower months. The store introduced the program two weeks ago at an event with Michael Ondaatje and already has 30 members.
Steve Costa, who with his wife, Kate Levinson, bought the store in 2003, told the paper: "It's an opportunity for locals to step up and really support the bookstore. To say, 'I really want this bookstore to survive over time.' Those dollars really will make a big difference."
The store hopes to have 200 members in the CSB by the end of the year and at least 500 members within a year. The model might work for other indies, Costa said.