The store there “was our incubator for nine years,” she says, “allowing us to start with practically nothing and build a wonderful customer base” of 20,000 registered members.Īnd now, it’s time for Bookends to have a new Beginning. 9.īarrett says she’s trying not to be too sentimental about leaving the alley. “I want to support our local business,” she says.Ī “soft opening” for the new Bookends & Beginnings is expected during the week of Feb. I love coming over here.”īut Hancock says she will go to the new site as well. Hancock, shopping at Bookends on its final day in the alley, said the current location is “a great spot. I’m somewhat going on faith, because we do need to find the money some way or another.”Ĭustomers like Erin Hancock are one way. That crowdfunding, along with the city dollars, is still only $188,000 ouf of the $350,000 total Barrett says is needed, even with some cuts in the project.īut, she says, “we have enough to open. So Barrett turned to GoFundMe, and has raised $105,000 in an ongoing campaign. Clare Kelly (1st) is still pushing for it. “We still have not given up on ARPA funding,” Barrett said, noting Ald. “It’s going to be really beautiful,” she adds.įinding the money to move has not been easy.īarrett was hoping the city would help with federal ARPA money, which has been used for a variety of projects.īut city administrators said the bookstore move was not eligible for that type of funding, and came up with $83,000 from other sources, far less than what Barrett said was needed. “I, like everybody else, have been very attached to this place,” Barrett tells Evanston Now.īut faced with a big rent increase that she could not afford, and not wanting to give up on the business she loves, Barrett found a new, more affordable location a few blocks away, the former La Macchina restaurant, at 1620 Orrington Ave.īarrett says the new site will be more visible, open later hours with more events, and someday, the ability to serve wine. Hotels near Bookends & Beginnings: (0.10 mi) Hilton Orrington/Evanston (0.16 mi) Hyatt House Chicago/Evanston (0.22 mi) Graduate Evanston (0.22 mi) Holiday Inn Chicago North-Evanston, an IHG Hotel (0. So Saturday was the last day of business for a bookstore in Bookman’s Alley.
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