Forced out of its long-time Third Avenue location in New York City because of escalating rent, 38-year-old St. Mark’s Bookshop is in financial trouble again. This time the store is facing eviction by its new landlord, the New York City Housing Authority, which filed suit for $62,000 in back rent, as reported by Bedford + Bowery.
“We’ve been limping along ever since we moved here,” co-owner Bob Contant told the publication. After cycling through several pre-move fundraisers, the bookstore turned to crowdfunding almost immediately after it moved.
In August, Contant sent out an email plea to get the shelves restocked by investing in the store. “Please consider buying an ownership interest in a new St. Mark’s Bookshop,” he wrote. “We have been approached by an investor who is interested in funding a rebirth of the bookstore, reorganizing and restructuring the business with an eye to long term viability. He is looking for others to join him in an investment team.”
On November 30, St. Mark’s launched another GoFundMe campaign, a permanent one. Over the past month it has raised just over 10% of its goal, $18,700 of the $150,000 it needs to stay in business.
St. Mark’s returns to court on January 20. But it has to pay $6,180 to NYCHA before the case resumes.
