After its landlord decided to tear down its historic building, the Book House moved this summer from Rock Hill, Mo., to an approximately 6,000-square-foot location in nearby Maplewood. But the building has been vacant for nearly two decades and needs extensive work. Owner Michelle Barron hopes to get roughly a third of the store up to code soon so she can at least open for business while gradually fixing up the rest of the building. But to open just the smaller portion of the store, Barron has to install an HVAC system, cover all walls and ceilings with fire-resistant drywall, install new lighting, replace the building's plumbing, put in new bathrooms, replace the electrical wiring, redo the stairs and remodel the store front. Not surprisingly, the bill has grown huge.
Unable to secure a Small Business loan, Barron has turned to other avenues to raise money. A Kickstarter campaign for $10,000, launched on November 8, with 18 days still to go, is more than 70% funded. On November 15, the store hosted a 30-author event and signing at a local brewery, with auctions and raffles, which drew more than 100 people and raised about $2,500. The store has set up book stalls at local farmers markets, and hopes to set up booths on its front lawn for Small Business Saturday.
Although the outlook for the Kickstarter campaign is good, it will not be enough to get the job done. Barron said that $10,000 is "just a drop in the bucket; $20,000 to $50,000 will get us open, and there will be more beyond that. This is going to be an ongoing thing, probably for several years."
On the bright side, Barron said that once completed, the new location should be an even bigger draw than the last. It's more than twice the size of the old location, and will get much more street traffic. Although the old building was an iconic destination in its own right, the new is not without its own charm. In the '50s, it housed a classic five and dime store, and still retains many of the "neat" art deco architectural features. And while the old location was relatively isolated, the new store is in an area full of art galleries, coffee shops and other small businesses.
"It's very exciting," said Barron, who spoke on the phone while dodging contractors as they worked on the new store. "When this is done, it will be the biggest indie in St. Louis. We'll be able to do things we can't do at the old location, if we can just get open." --Alex Mutter
