Always Here, a bookstore specializing in queer books for all ages that began as a pop-up in 2023, will be moving into a permanent home in Portland, Ore., next year.
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| John (l.) and Rafael Hart at the new storefront. | |
In advance of the move to a long-term space, Always Here owners Rafael and John Hart have launched a membership program to help make sure the bookstore has a sustainable future. They are in the midst of a membership drive that has raised just over $12,000 toward a $24,000 goal. Membership tiers range from $5 to $500 per month, and perks include discounts, store merch, access to a monthly members' social club, and more.
For the past year, Always Here has operated out of a pop-up storefront at 3803 N. Williams Ave., which the bookstore was leasing on a month-to-month basis at a reduced rent. When they inquired with the landlord about renting long-term, they learned that they would have to pay more than triple the month-to-month rent.
One day, someone left a note on the bookstore's counter with contact information and an address for a building about a 10-minute walk away. It turned out to be a standalone building with ground-floor retail space, owned by a landlord looking for a new tenant.
Within two weeks, Always Here and the landlord had agreed to a five-year lease and officially signed it on November 5, with the intention of having at least some good news on election day.
"Too often, we hear about other bookstores being priced out of their neighborhoods by predatory landlords," said John Hart. "Our guy seems to really care about what a community space can do for the city he lives in."