Frugal Bookstore, Roxbury, Mass., has launched a $30,000 GoFundMe campaign following a February 12 fire in the building that houses the bookshop. Leonard Egerton, co-owner with Clarrissa Cropper, wrote that "Frugal welcomes public donations to replenish stock from the water damage and repair store furnishings."
A message on the store's website notes: "Dear fellow readers, there was a fire in our building over the weekend and we experienced water damage to our children's, young adult and young reader section. We are in the process of replenishing stock so there will be a delay in fulfilling orders in those sections. We appreciate your understanding and patience. Thank you."
On the GoFundMe page, Egerton wrote, in part: "Frugal Bookstore is located In Nubian Square. It has the largest and most diverse collection of African American children's literature in metropolitan Boston. The bookstore has played a critical role in expanding and diversifying the collection of African American children's literature in [Boston Public Schools] classrooms and school libraries. School leaders and teachers routinely visit the bookstore, order books for their schools and classrooms and Frugal's owners and operators deliver these books to their schools....
"Frugal's collection includes classic and contemporary texts that Black adults want to read. As a consequence, Frugals is a place where Black families come to spend time, examining new and classic African American children and adult books. It is a go-to place for families."