Boneshaker Books, the radical collective bookstore in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minn., that closed in early March for financial reasons, is reopening with a new group of volunteers, the Star Tribune reported. The bookstore will open first online via Bookshop.org, then, depending on the course of the pandemic, in its original location.
After the store announced it was closing permanently, several former members of the collective and members of the community formed a new collective and began an Indiegogo campaign that has raised some $22,000, more than double its goal of $10,000. (One of the perks is an "Amazon is evil" T-shirt--for donations of $50 or more.)
The campaign aims to raise enough money so that Boneshaker Books "remains healthy and vital in our community for years to come, and to expand our collection of books, zines, artwork, and more." Some of the money will go to "paying down debt owed to publishers and distributors and freeing up our line of credit" and "reinstating our insurance policy with a provider that will allow us to continue bicycle deliveries." (Since its founding, Boneshaker Books has provided bicycle delivery services to customers.)
The store offers titles that it says reflect "the experiences and ideas borne from radical and progressive movements, marginalized communities, and local and international voices. We also house a free event space that has been occupied by hundreds of activists, community members, artists, and literati over the years."
The new Boneshaker Books is starting two virtual book clubs--the Politics of Pandemics and Anything But Pandemics, which focuses on utopian fiction.