Support Buffalo Street Books

Happy Birthday to Buffalo Street Books—we’ve just turned 9 years old. It was April 2011 when we first organized as a cooperatively owned bookstore, and since then, you as a community have voted for us again and again—every time you buy a book, come to a reading, become an owner, attend an owner party, sale, or meeting. We have survived against immense odds, because Ithaca dearly wants a literary hub. But now our existence is threatened by the COVID-19 shutdown, and we need more help than usual.

First, some positives. In 2019, we made a tiny profit. Our ownership grew to over 900 people. We added 6 new ambassadors to our Ithaca Is Books initiative, for a total of 14. We’ve always paid a Living Wage to our employees.

But now, with our storefront closed, we’ve had to lay off everyone except General Manager Lisa Swayze and our part-time bookkeeper. We are still responsible for rent, payroll, bills from publishers for the books on the shelves, and loan payments. We have absolutely no padding to pay for the next few months. In this, we are not alone. Bookselling, like the restaurant industry, operates on vanishingly small margins, and most bookstores need help right now from their devoted customers.

The question is stark: do you want Buffalo Street Books to be here when the crisis has passed? Please consider donating even a small amount as a vote for that future.

Was there a time when a BSB bookseller matched you with the exact right book; when you spent a rainy afternoon in the children’s corner reading to your kids; when you ran into a friend while browsing and spent twenty minutes talking about books; when you were moved at a reading? These are the values of a community bookstore, and for these values to persist, we need your help.

Your donation will help us meet expenses for the next two months--payroll, rent, and book ordering--and offset the start-up costs for our new website. This website will go live for your book orders very soon. Once we are able to sell books online, we can keep afloat for the next chapter of our story, when we can re-open our doors, apply for loans, and hire back staff. Any funds over our goal will go toward additional months' payroll as we ramp back up to normal business and toward paying publishers and distributors with whom we are on hold during this crisis.

Thank you for keeping the bookstore in your heart and mind, during this time when so very many people, businesses, and causes need your help.

Stay safe, and read well.

With gratitude,

The Executive Board of Buffalo Street Books in Ithaca, NY: Sara Catterall, Dianne Dietrich (Treasurer), Eleanor Henderson, Michelle Nolan, Amy Reading, Jen Tennant, Rob Vanderlan (President), Lesley Williamson, Sharon Yntema (Secretary)

#SmallBusinessRelief

For verification purposes:

Who you are and where you’re from: Sara Catterall lives in Ithaca NY, USA and is on the board of Buffalo Street Books, also in Ithaca NY, USA. Lisa Swayze is our store manager and acting as beneficiary.
How the funds will be spent (be as specific as possible): see above: rent, payroll, bills from publishers for the books on the shelves and loan payments.
Your withdrawal plan to get the funds from the campaign to the person that they're intended for: the beneficiary, Lisa Swayze, will withdraw to one of our business checking accounts.