The Shorewood/Northshore Community Book Co-op announced that it has secured a temporary location for its projected Nov. 1 book store opening. The Community Book Co-op will occupy the space previously occupied by the Harry W. Schwartz book store at 4093 N. Oakland Ave.
"We have worked out a good deal with Roundy’s to rent the space at a price we could afford and not over do it," said Keith Schmitz, lead organizer for the Community Book Co-op. "We are going to use that space for the next 12 months or so and use that time to find a permanent space within the village."
The Community Book Co-op was formed after the Harry W. Schwartz book stores announced they would have to close, Schmitz said.
"There were a lot of people in the community that were really distressed by the closings," Schmitz said.
Schmitz started a grassroots effort centered around bringing another community book store back to Shorewood. Staff members from the Schwartz book store agreed to stay on staff and assist with the development of the new venture.
According to Schmitz, the group has been marketing and working membership development all summer, and has raised nearly $40,000 for the new store.
"Our staff talked to a lot of people about what worked and what didn’t," Schmitz said. "Our membership plan is based on a lifetime membership of different amounts, $50, $100, $250 or $500 and up. Each level receives different types of rewards and the levels are named after famous authors."
According to Schmitz, the Co-op needs $100,000 by Nov 1 and needs to purchase bookshelves, books and pay staff, as well as rent, before then.
"One of the obstacles we ran into throughout the summer, was that people were hesitant to get involved with a store that didn’t have a location. We hope deciding on a location that will work for our needs will help others in the community to jump on board with our mission," Schmitz said.
For more information on the Open Book Co-op visit their website at http://openbookcoop.com/
