Help Chapterhouse Bookstore Open a Permanent Space

Co-organized

Chapterhouse Bookstore and Kay Brizzolara are organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

We signed a lease! Help us raise some money to help furnish it and stock it with new inventory! Our first event is June 1 and we'd love to be at least partially operational by then.

**UPDATE** GoFundMe does not allow perks on campaigns so we have removed this section. We will instead reach out to every donor to offer a personal Thank You! No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to this campaign.

What is Chapterhouse?

Chapterhouse Bookstore is an indie queer-owned community bookstore based in Amarillo, TX. We focus on LGBT+, racialized, and migrant literature for all ages. For the past two years, we've set up tables at coffee shops and events all around the Texas Panhandle, we've brought in a national bestselling author, hosted monthly book clubs, and now we're ready to create a permanent community space and traditional bookstore in the San Jacinto neighborhood.

This campaign will help cover our startup costs as we transition into a brick & mortar model at 3317 SW 6th Avenue, part of Historic Route 66 on what we locals call 6th Street. We will furnish reading areas with cozy chairs so you can sit and read a while with us, create a fun kids corner with educational materials and storytimes, and establish a community event space for after school programs, a mutual aid and tutoring hub, film and lecture series, author visits, and much more.

Since we launched our online and pop-up model in 2022, our vision has always been to create a cooperative third space that fosters community and centers the diversity in our region. Opening a physical store is the crucial next step in that mission, and we need your help to make it the best it can be.

The Impact

Our bookstore is already making an impact in the community. We have diversified shelves and provided books that represent the most overlooked readers in our city, we have brought a bestselling author to Amarillo, participated in 2 highly exclusive national marketing campaigns for limited edition merchandise (including signed editions of Heartstopper 5), have offered exclusive access to other bookish items like author-designed bookmarks and enamel pins and pre-order gifts, and are currently engaged in a charitable partnership with The PLACE to create a free bookshelf for our refugee communities. With this transition into a brick & mortar, we can expand our impact to create the educational and community space we've had in mind from the start. We can establish a hub for global literature, educational resources and events, and much more for those who are naturally curious, want to learn more about all the facets of the world reflected in Amarillo, or just those who like to read books.

Imagine a space where:

Kids can get free after school tutoring and mentoring
Children's storytimes are held in multiple languages
Books are available in all the major languages of Amarillo including Spanish, Vietnamese, Swahili, Karen, and Dari to make literacy and literature available to all who live here
Authors and book exclusives that otherwise aren't available outside of major metro areas are brought to Amarillo (putting our city on the map for major publishers and authors)
The books stocked are chosen for their social impact and community relevance and the business itself is run for people over profit
Book clubs are held for fiction, nonfiction, teen, children, decolonial, and other topics
Educational film series and lectures regularly discuss current topics to foster a well informed community
Free groceries and pantry supplies are available to increase neighborhood food security*
Fresh local produce is available to purchase in San Jacinto, increasing community access to nutritious foods**
The true diversity of Amarillo is accurately reflected to the domestic and international travelers on Route 66, increasing favorable public perception of our city

* we plan to work with local nonprofits and organizations to provide free fresh produce and shelf stable goods

** we plan to work with local businesses to provide fresh grocery items and snacks for sale

It is also our goal to begin an annual Amarillo Book Festival in partnership with the other booksellers and literacy organizations in the area. Having a permanent brick & mortar store to act as a base of operations is crucial to the success and organization of such an event.

What will my donation be used for?

A private donor is fully funding our first six months of rent and business/startup costs like POS hardware and starting inventory, but we need some extra community help to create the best possible version of the neighborhood bookstore we envision. We've set our goal at $15,000, but we want to emphasize that no donation is too small and that we appreciate every single dollar! Can't donate money, but have items or skills available? Scroll to the bottom!

Here are the things this crowdfunding campaign will support:

Bookcases to hold our new inventory!
Kid-sized furniture and bookcases for a children's section
Decorations and materials for the children's section to make it fun and exciting
Cafe style furniture for our event and after-school space
Renovating the building's light fixtures and adding new ones
Lots of cozy area rugs to soften sound and create that classic cozy bookstore feel
A free self-serve drink station with insulated hot and cold water taps, cups, and tea bags for community members to choose from
Community event materials such as a projector and screen, and the licensing fees for showing tv/movies and streaming ambient music

Other Ways You Can Help

Share - The most important thing you can do to help is to share this campaign! Tell your friends and family why Chapterhouse is important to you and ask them directly to donate. Ask them to match your amount to double your impact, or come up with a larger goal for your network to achieve. Only have $20 to spare but want to give $500? Ask 10 of your friends and family to each contribute $10-$50. Share the campaign on social media and boost our Instagram and Facebook posts. Consider yourself a community ambassador for Chapterhouse Bookstore!

Donate items - You can also donate books and furniture to help us fill out the space! Check the priority list above for an idea of what we're looking for, or contact us directly if you have a question and to schedule a drop-off.

Donate skills - Do you have a trade skill like carpentry or construction, or are you a CPA or other business professional? You can help us build bookcases and refinish the space, or donate your business expertise as we expand.

Didn't We Already Have a Fundraiser?

Yes, we did. Earlier this year we held a fundraiser on IndieGoGo for a different space that was ultimately made unavailable to us. Because of the loss of that space, we never officially launched the other campaign. This time, we have a signed lease and a key to our new building so we're 100% good to go. We decided to keep this campaign simple - just a classic GoFundMe for straight forward fundraising since time is short. We just need your help to raise as much as possible before June 1!