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| Let's Play's store in Emmaus | |
Let's Play Books in Emmaus, Pa., is raising funds to help open a second location, in the West End Theatre District in Allentown, Pa., the Morning Call reported.
Owner Kirsten Hess and her team are looking to raise at least $20,000 by March 30 to purchase fixtures, additional technology, hardware and software, for the store, which is slated to open on Independent Bookstore Day (April 29). Should they hit their stretch goal of $30,000, the new location will be "fully stocked with a fabulous inventory."
Hess told the Morning Call that the new store will reside in a 1,700-square-foot space at Tilghman St. and Cedar Crest Blvd. in Allentown. There will be a dedicated parking lot and the building is handicap accessible. It will carry a similar product mix of new titles for all ages.
Rather than go the conventional route of starting a GoFundMe or other crowdfunding campaign, Hess decided to collect donations through the store's website and implement a reward system where customers can earn their money back plus a little extra. For example, a customer who donates $110 will receive $120 in store credit ($10 per month), and donations over a certain amount will also come with memberships to the store.
When Let's Play Books opened in 2013, it sold only children's books. In 2016, it moved two blocks into a three-story row house; the move allowed Hess to expand the store's inventory of books, stationery, gifts and toys.