Paulina Springs Books needs your support!
Donation protected
Since opening in 1992, Paulina Springs Books has served Sisters Country and its visitors. Over the past 28 years, the store has tripled in size and become a fixture in the Sisters community. It has hosted hundreds of authors, provided the original home of Sisters Folk Festival, and helped countless readers of all ages find just the right book. In 2019, Paulina Springs launched the Sisters Festival of Books, which featured over 40 authors in three days and created a $2,000 scholarship for graduating Sisters High School students – an event that we hope to grow in the future. However, given the current COVID pandemic and the economic uncertainty facing us in the months ahead, the future of Paulina Springs Books is in question and we are humbly asking for your help.
Thanks to government assistance, the support of our customers, and dipping into our modest cash reserves, we have been able to cover all of our expenses and keep all of our staff employed. This is, however, not sustainable. Like most businesses in Sisters, we rely on a busy summer season to get us through the rest of the year. With summer events being cancelled and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, we are preparing for a summer season that won’t be busy enough to sustain us through the year. Given these factors, we have decided to proactively ask for your help, rather than wait until it’s too late.
Your support will help us cover staff payroll, occupancy, and existing liabilities over the summer season. There are many other expenses associated with operating a bookstore and it requires running a tight ship at even the best of times (you can view a breakdown that is generally reflective of PSB by clicking here ), but we have and will continue to cut out all but the most necessary of expenses over the coming months, while still providing the best bookstore experience possible. Below is a breakdown of how we will use funds raised through this campaign.
Staff ($11,000 monthly average): You probably already know these folks well; they're your neighbors, friends, and fellow Sisters community members. They're the ones who set aside your daily paper, help you find your next read, and keep the wheels turning at the store. Our staff is what makes PSB such a special place and are responsible for its identity and character. One of our employees has even been with the store since it opened in 1992! This will help us continue to keep our staff safe and employed over the coming months.
Occupancy ($4,500 monthly average): Between the bookstore, Sisters Coffee, Sisters Gallery and Frame Shop, The Pony Express, Beacham's Clock Co, and The Open Door, we (not so secretly) believe that we've got one of the best corners in town, but it ain't cheap! This will help us cover rent and utilities for our space.
Existing Liabilities ($5,500 monthly): This will help us cover our existing business loans and credit liabilities.
How did we reach these figures?
The figures listed above are conservative monthly averages for our anticipated costs in each category over the summer season. We currently have enough to cover payroll through May. We're not including other expenses that are not essential to the survival of the business. We're also not including any inventory expenses (55-60% of all money we take in) as those costs will be reflective of whatever sales we are able to generate over the summer months.
What will we do with any money raised above and beyond our goal? And what if the summer season is better than feared?
It is possible that summer will be busier than we anticipate, and we certainly hope that's the case! We are, however, committed to following CDC guidelines until they are lifted, which will limit our sales capacity. Any money raised above and beyond our goal and any 'extra' money generated from sales in the event of a busier than anticipated summer will go towards: 1) saving for the possibility of a COVID resurgence in the fall/winter months 2) exploring healthcare and other benefits for employees and 3) future funding for Sisters Festival of Books.
We know that this is a difficult and uncertain time for everyone and that we are far from the only business in need. If you are in a position to support us during this time, we would be extremely grateful, even if that means simply sharing this campaign with others. There is also a list of other ways to support Paulina Springs Books on our website’s homepage . If you have any questions at all about the store, our campaign, our anticipated business model for the summer, or our plans for the future, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at [email redacted].
Words cannot express how grateful we are to be an integral part of the Sisters community and to receive your support – past, present, and future. Thank you for reading. We look forward to serving you for many years to come!
Sincerely,
Lane Jacobson
Owner, Paulina Springs Books
Thanks to government assistance, the support of our customers, and dipping into our modest cash reserves, we have been able to cover all of our expenses and keep all of our staff employed. This is, however, not sustainable. Like most businesses in Sisters, we rely on a busy summer season to get us through the rest of the year. With summer events being cancelled and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, we are preparing for a summer season that won’t be busy enough to sustain us through the year. Given these factors, we have decided to proactively ask for your help, rather than wait until it’s too late.
Your support will help us cover staff payroll, occupancy, and existing liabilities over the summer season. There are many other expenses associated with operating a bookstore and it requires running a tight ship at even the best of times (you can view a breakdown that is generally reflective of PSB by clicking here ), but we have and will continue to cut out all but the most necessary of expenses over the coming months, while still providing the best bookstore experience possible. Below is a breakdown of how we will use funds raised through this campaign.
Staff ($11,000 monthly average): You probably already know these folks well; they're your neighbors, friends, and fellow Sisters community members. They're the ones who set aside your daily paper, help you find your next read, and keep the wheels turning at the store. Our staff is what makes PSB such a special place and are responsible for its identity and character. One of our employees has even been with the store since it opened in 1992! This will help us continue to keep our staff safe and employed over the coming months.
Occupancy ($4,500 monthly average): Between the bookstore, Sisters Coffee, Sisters Gallery and Frame Shop, The Pony Express, Beacham's Clock Co, and The Open Door, we (not so secretly) believe that we've got one of the best corners in town, but it ain't cheap! This will help us cover rent and utilities for our space.
Existing Liabilities ($5,500 monthly): This will help us cover our existing business loans and credit liabilities.
How did we reach these figures?
The figures listed above are conservative monthly averages for our anticipated costs in each category over the summer season. We currently have enough to cover payroll through May. We're not including other expenses that are not essential to the survival of the business. We're also not including any inventory expenses (55-60% of all money we take in) as those costs will be reflective of whatever sales we are able to generate over the summer months.
What will we do with any money raised above and beyond our goal? And what if the summer season is better than feared?
It is possible that summer will be busier than we anticipate, and we certainly hope that's the case! We are, however, committed to following CDC guidelines until they are lifted, which will limit our sales capacity. Any money raised above and beyond our goal and any 'extra' money generated from sales in the event of a busier than anticipated summer will go towards: 1) saving for the possibility of a COVID resurgence in the fall/winter months 2) exploring healthcare and other benefits for employees and 3) future funding for Sisters Festival of Books.
We know that this is a difficult and uncertain time for everyone and that we are far from the only business in need. If you are in a position to support us during this time, we would be extremely grateful, even if that means simply sharing this campaign with others. There is also a list of other ways to support Paulina Springs Books on our website’s homepage . If you have any questions at all about the store, our campaign, our anticipated business model for the summer, or our plans for the future, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at [email redacted].
Words cannot express how grateful we are to be an integral part of the Sisters community and to receive your support – past, present, and future. Thank you for reading. We look forward to serving you for many years to come!
Sincerely,
Lane Jacobson
Owner, Paulina Springs Books
Organizer
Lane Jacobson
Organizer
Sisters, OR