Help bring a Queer-Feminist Bookstore to Phoenix!
Donation protected
"The desire to reach the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise and most possible." ― Maya Angelou
Hi, we're Katherine & Maggie — founders of Marigold, a women-owned book and gift shop. We are reaching out to the community to help bring the first indie bookstore to Phoenix that focuses solely on Female and LGBT voices. Our business is founded on these three pillars: community, safety, and inspiration.
Named after the Desert Marigold that inhabits the beautiful Sonoran Desert, it is a symbol linked to the powerful strength of the sun and represents the warmth, strength, and light that lives inside of each person.
Retail is just one function of Marigold. Marigold will be home to community and refuge. At its core, Marigold is a headquarters for people to see themselves, hear from female-identifying and LGBTQ voices, and view the space as a soft place to land — no matter what season you're surviving in.
Marigold will be a hub for relaxation, free expression, learning, inspiration, and genuine community. Our shelves will be filled with books across genres by diverse authors, and we want to provide entrepreneurial opportunities to local creatives in the community who can share their gifts with us and create engaging events for the public.
Why now? Why this cause?
Female-identifying individuals and members of the LGBTQ+ community are currently facing:
- Physical and legislative violence across the nation
- Recurring closures of queer spaces in the Phoenix area and beyond
- A lack of safe, nurturing environments to gather that isn't involved in the bar scene
Marigold is designed to nurture the magic of the female, queer, and trans community in a space filled with stories, nourishment, and art. With your help, we hope to build a community where everyone feels connected and supported.
Because every business has to start somewhere, Marigold will be operating on a pop-up basis until funding is complete. In October, we're hosting our first pop-up event, "Mad Women Adult Book Fair" at Afternoons Studio in Midtown Phoenix. It is an amazing opportunity to engage with the community in person. The event has already generated a large amount of support and community buzz, giving us the confidence we need to make this physical location a reality in the future.
The most significant barrier to opening a business is cost. Filling our shelves with the inventory our community deserves is no small task — that's where you come in.
In addition to applying for an SBA loan, we are crowdfunding $10,000 in start-up costs to make sure Marigold functions at 100% intended capacity at our events.
Cost Breakdown:
Initial Inventory + merch: $8,000
Equipment: $2,000
Total = $10,000
Mary Oliver once said, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
We are set on this journey to not simply be a visitor in this lifetime, but an active, fierce participant in the things that uplift the human experience. This community, these stories — this is what is most wild and truly precious.
Any amount you can donate is greatly appreciated. Times are tough, and if donating is simply not in your budget, please share this fundraiser and help us spread the word about Marigold. Anything helps!
All our love and gratitude,
Katherine & Maggie
*full site launching SOON!
@marigoldphx - Instagram
@madwomenbookclubphx - Instagram - Marigold's Community Book Club
Organizer
Katherine Sorensen
Organizer
Phoenix, AZ