Join Halley's Mission to Save Seven Stories

‼️Calling All Book People‼️

Save Seven Stories Bookshop!

As many of you know, I'm the proud bookseller at a tiny bookshop called Seven Stories in Shawnee, Kansas (a suburb of Kansas City). My store is a carefully curated combination of books and art that changes weekly, and you can always expect diverse options for adults, teens, and kids.

I host local authors every Thursday, provide year-round sales space for Spanish and Mandarin language titles, and I sell local products from dozens of home-based businesses ranging from greeting cards to local honey.

Thanks to all our patrons, Seven Stories has been thriving! However, Houston, we DO have a problem…

I learned that the building Seven Stories currently calls home would be sold via text message a couple months ago. I then learned last month that it was under contract and I write this now just one day away from the closing of the sale. After 80 years of continual and stable ownership, I now find myself in the unenviable position that every business with a lease agreement fears, my store is in need to relocate.

Our building will eventually be under deep construction, and when that starts we will need to relocate quickly to avoide disruption. When I moved into this space last summer I did so with the expectation that my store would be here until at least 2027, the year I would graduate high school, turn 18, and be able to legally obtain a traditional business loan.

✨ WAIT, did I not mention THAT? ✨

Yes, you read that right! ‍I am the “Youngest Bookseller in America”, and I did not start this yesterday on a whim. I founded Seven Stories with just 97 sq ft of store space at 13 years old. I relocated to my current location a year later when I was 14, expanding to 400+ sq ft. Because at times people have twisted and made unfounded assumptions about my story, I want to clarify that I did ALL of this without a loan, nest eggs, or extended credit. “My Team” consists of myself, my mom, and my little sister. This was quite literally all accomplished through sweat equity, perseverance, and community support. My customers can attest to the fact that I ride a bus home from school like every other kid, and then I run my store everyday until closing… like a professional should.

I have an unusual story, for sure. But back to my problem…

Please, if you are inspired by my work ethic, my accomplishments, OR if you simply love indie bookstores… WOULD YOU CONSIDER DONATING TO THIS GOFUNDME TODAY?

My Goal: $26,700

I have met and collaborated with many advisors to arrive at this number.

Included in this budget are:

I cannot disclose right now WHERE the new store will be but I can tell you that I will once again expand slightly to better accommodate the range of inventory people expect and love from Seven Stories. It will give more breathing room for events, book clubs, and affinity groups that meet in our store.

I won't worry you with more, but the fact remains that this is a crisis that could have occurred to any business and is not an indicator of whether or not our sales or our customer support is strong enough. If you would like to read more about my bookshop beginnings or my bookmobile, links are below ⬇

Why Support THIS Big Ask - 3 Reasons

✨RETELLINGS OF OUR STORY BY TALENTED JOURNALISTS ✨

Emily Park for IN Kansas City Magazine

Rae Daniel for KSHB 41 Action News

Claire Kirch for Publishers Weekly

Jill Dutton for Shawnee Magazine

Matt Stewart for Fox 4

In the meantime….

How You Can Help:

1. Donate: EVERY dollar counts!

2. Share: Share my story!

3. Shop: Stop in at the store and shop!

Thank you for being so kind, generous, and supportive of me over the years. I could not have accomplished all that I have so far without YOU shopping at my store, patronizing my bookmobile, sharing my story, or sometimes just cheering me on. I love my customers. I love my community. And it will be my pleasure to be able to continue to serve you.

❤️ Halley

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