No New York bookstore suffered as much damage from Hurricane Sandy as powerHouse Arena in Dumbo: two days after 14 feet of water flooded the store, CEO of powerHouse Books and Arena Daniel Power estimated damages at $50,000. “We were prepared for a storm surge of eight to 11 feet--not the almost 14-foot wall of water that slammed into the store,” Power said. “Those twenty-eight or so inches made a huge difference. Books were overturned and floating around inside, and a disproportionate amount of holiday merchandise was destroyed.”
But powerHouse is already making plans for getting back on its feet, and it’s looking for help from the publishing community. On November 17 from 12-8 pm at the store, located at 37 Main Street, will hold a book fair, complete with a lineup of New York writers, refreshments, and a live band to go along with the books for sale. A Paypal donation button has also been added to the bookstore's homepage at http://www.powerhousearena.com/. “Our fundraiser plans are an attempt both to try and recoup major losses and to galvanize support from neighbors, suppliers, publishers, and writers who have offered their help during this difficult time,” said Power. Among others, BOMB Magazine has pledged its support for the event. powerHouse is accepting donations and books to sell at the fair, which will have a suggested donation at the door for attendees.
If you’re a publisher and would like to donate or learn more about how you can help, please contact Julie Buntin at julie@powerhousearena.com.
