Though the beloved independent bookstore Book Revue closed in September, the Village of Huntington may have a new, Book Revue-inspired shop open in the near future.
Mallory Braun, who worked as a manager at Book Revue for more than five years before it closed, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for another bookstore in Huntington called The Next Chapter.
“This store will venture to reincarnate the spirit of Book Revue,” Braun wrote on the donation page.
Braun has set a goal of $250,000, which she hopes to raise by Dec. 16; otherwise, all donors will be refunded and she will not go on with the project. She will open the bookshop under the counsel of Richard Klein, who owned Book Revue for 44 years but refused donations from the community to keep it afloat when faced with eviction.
On Sept. 10, Book Revue let customers take as many remaining books as they wanted for free until all the shelves were bare, and the store officially closed. Since then, Braun and Klein have been searching for a new location in Huntington for The Next Chapter and updating the community on social media.
The Kickstarter campaign raised more than $25,000 in its first day and has 45 days to reach $250,000. Braun is also taking donations of used books, zines, ephemera, art, paper matter upcycled from damaged books, and vinyl records. The shop would start out selling mostly used books and increase its selection of new ones over time. Braun said she would also strive to hold events, including author signings, at the new store.
“I hope you agree that we need independent bookstores on Long Island,” she wrote. “If you do and you are able and willing to support this goal, please consider contributing.”
Donations can be made at kickstarter.com or sent to P.O. Box 1850, Huntington, NY.
Related Story: Community Reacts to Book Revue’s Looming Closure
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