By STEVEN JUPITER
BRANDON—The images of Montpelier and Barre in the recent floods were heartbreaking. Entire blocks of the cities’ downtowns were inundated. Homes and businesses suffered enormous damage as the muddy waters filled basements and first floors. The recovery process will be long and arduous for many.
As part of that process, the New England Independent Bookstore Association (NEIBA) organized “Bookstores Helping Bookstores,” a fundraising effort to supply financial assistance to Bear Pond Books of Montpelier and Next Chapter Bookstore of Barre, both of which were severely impacted by the disaster.
On Saturday, July 29, seventeen booksellers from around Vermont participated in the program, donating 20% of the day’s sales receipts to Bear Pond and Next Chapter. Brandon’s own The Bookstore was among the seventeen and rang up approximately $2500 in sales for the day, netting the fundraiser about $600 (including outright donations made at the store). According to The Bookstore employee Cecil Reniche-Smith, the day’s revenue was more than three times the store’s usual intake for a summer Saturday.
“Saturday was amazing!” said Reniche-Smith. “We had a mix of locals who came specifically for the fundraiser, and folks passing through town who, once they learned of the fundraiser, bought more books to help with it.”
The Bookstore owner Barbara Ebling was thrilled with the results.
“It shows the power of small businesses working together,” Ebling said. “It shows the love people have for their indie bookstores, and it shows the how crucial those bookstores are to their communities.”
“Independent bookstores don’t have the benefit of economy of scale that chain stores or internet retailers enjoy,” said Reniche-Smith. “So often they operate on shoestring budgets. Anything that causes their finances to take a hit can mean the death of the store.”
While some flood damage will be covered by insurance, much is covered only by flood-specific policies. And FEMA assistance must be repaid. For small businesses like Bear Pond and Next Chapter, the lost inventory and damaged shelving are financially crippling.
But the bookselling community in Vermont pulled together to help their stricken brethren out.
“It’s incredible that a group email of concern for Vermont booksellers evolved so quickly into an organized, publicized, and successful fundraiser in scarcely more than two weeks,” Ebling said.
“It’s also worth mentioning how many people in the affected towns were on the scene, helping the bookstores muck out after the flood, and are helping them rebuild,” she added. “This is the kind of energy and volunteerism that keeps us all afloat, unfortunate pun intended.”
“As fellow independent booksellers who know only too well the fear of not being able to pay the bills, we found it imperative to join the fundraising effort,” said Reniche-Smith. “We’re confident they’d do the same for us.”
