(courtesy Oakland Fire Department) |
East Bay Booksellers, Oakland, Calif., was a "total loss" after a three-alarm fire early Tuesday morning, according to city fire officials, who added that the fire also left five people living in an adjacent residence displaced. The East Bay Times reported that the fire erupted about 5:25 a.m. inside the two-story business. It quickly went to "third alarm," primarily to prevent it from spreading to adjacent buildings.
Oakland Fire Department spokesman Michael Hunt said the fire was contained within an hour, but still had not been declared officially under control as of 8 a.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Although Hunt did not have an exact damage figure, he described the bookstore as "a total loss."
Owner Brad Johnson shared a message on the East Bay Booksellers' Instagram page. A $200,000 GoFundMe campaign has been set up "to help Brad and the store find their way back to being the vital bookstore that it is. Please donate what you can to rebuild this civil and cultural bookstore. We'll all appreciate it and don't know how it will happen without each of us." More than $26,000 has been raised thus far.
Yesterday, Johnson told ABC News7: "Still in a state of shock, very much sort of just overwhelmed by the scene. I'm slowly feeling like I'm stepping into the actual moment whereas the last couple of hours it's felt like watching a movie."
East Bay Booksellers opened in 2017. Prior to taking over the business, Johnson had been a longtime employee at DIESEL, A Bookstore, which occupied the location for 28 years.
"It's as bad as it can be. It looks as if something just exploded in there. So it looks awful," Johnson told the Oaklandside as people walked by the store offering him their condolences. "They have memories here and there but I think everyone is in a state of shock over the circumstances. Even thinking about the future right now is a little daunting. Like, what just happened?"
Last evening, Brad Johnson reported on the state of the bookstore and announced a fundraiser. |
In a social media post yesterday afternoon, East Bay Booksellers noted: "You may have heard the news already. It breaks my heart to confirm it: the bookstore has completely burned in this morning's fire. What has just happened is overwhelming what's to come. But we'll get there, and we'll let you know how you can help get us there. Thank you for immensely kind messages through this."
Many indie bookstores expressed their concern and support in comments on the post, including Parnassus Books, Nashville, Tenn. ("We are so, so sorry friends. Sending so much love and support from Nashville."), Island Books, Mercer Island, Wash. ("We are heartbroken for you all... let us know what we can do to help you through this."), Type Books, Toronto, Ont., Canada ("We love you. We're gutted to hear this and are poised to help however possible. You're the greatest."), North Figueroa Bookshop, Los Angeles ("Sending love and strength from LA! We're here for you."), Green Apple Books, San Francisco ("You've got us and a lot of other people in your corner."), A Great Good Place for Books, Oakland ("We're here to help you anyway we can."), Mrs. Dalloway's, Berkeley ("Thinking of all of you, utterly heartbreaking."), and more.
City Lights Books, San Francisco, posted: "Horrible news for readers and writers everywhere. We'll keep you posted on how you can help @AhabLives & East Bay Booksellers going forward."