Malibu Village Books in Malibu, Calif., is turning to a crowdfunding campaign to help keep its doors open after a precipitous drop in sales following the Palisades fire and subsequent closures of the Pacific Coast Highway, KABC reported.
The Indiegogo campaign went live in late February and has so far raised just over $9,400. Money raised through the campaign will go toward rent, payroll, paying off loans, and other expenses. All donors will be featured on a "thank you" wall on the store's website and at the bookstore, while larger donations include rewards like 10% off all purchases for a year, VIP seating at author events, and more.
"Since the 2024 Franklin Fire & the 2025 Palisades fire, it has been very hard for small businesses in the Malibu area to survive," the team wrote on Indiegogo. "We've had to shut our doors twice, for weeks. We lost out on Holiday Business and now, with Pacific Coast Highway closed, we are unsure of when our community will be back. Without traffic, we are teetering on closure and we need your help!"
The campaign page read: "Malibu has undergone much change because of this, we are hurting, some are fleeing, and many are fighting--we are fighting."
Malibu Village Books staff told KABC that sales are down approximately 75% as a result of the PCH closures, which began on January 7 and are still in place for some stretches of the highway.
Michelle Pierce opened Malibu Village Books in 2023. She is also the owner of Lido Village Books in Newport Beach, Calif., which she purchased in 2020.