Monday, July 23, 2012

Cash Mob Success!

This weekend's cash mob at St. Mark's Bookshop was, in the words of co-owner Terry McCoy, "a big success."


photo: Shawn Chittle

He told me, "It's going to help us with the cash crunch we're in right now. The 'Jeremiah' gift certificates went right away. There was a line at the register extending all the way to the stairwell door, something that usually only happens on Christmas week. Saturday's total business was increased by more than 30% from what we've been doing lately, so that was very welcome...the neighborhood came through for us. We're all very grateful, not only to you for your efforts, but to all the people who came by and laid their money on the line for us."


photo: Shawn Chittle

And very big thanks from me to everyone who shared the announcement on Facebook, Twitter, and their sites; to all the journalists who covered the story; and to all of you who showed up at the store with open hearts, minds, and wallets to say "books and bookshops do matter" as you helped St. Mark's Bookshop prepare to move and stay in the East Village for a long time to come.

In a neighborhood filling up with iZombies, we need this bookstore more than ever.


photo: Shawn Chittle

Also, special thanks to Shawn Chittle for taking these shots of happy, book-buying mobbers. Recognize anyone?


photo: Shawn Chittle

What books did you take home on Saturday?


photo: Shawn Chittle
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5 comments:

  1. onemorefoldedsunsetJuly 23, 2012 at 8:58 AM

    Great to see the store so crowded, & looking forward to seeing where their new home will be. I got a copy of the Bellevue Literary Review (how vivid my memories are of the Bellevue maternity ward in 1987!) & Jeannette Winterson's autobiography Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?

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  2. Ms.July 23, 2012 at 9:07 AM

    Thank you too Jeremia! I was there right at 3, had some lovely conversations and came home with an 'Everyman' hard back of Auden poems, but noted others buying lots:
    http://mscomfortzone.blogspot.com/2012/07/today-was-yesterdays-tomorrow.html

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  3. esquared™July 23, 2012 at 10:39 AM

    I came early (that's what she said). I wanted to get first dibs on the books I wanted, like the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy (not really [sure, esquared]).

    I went straight for the classic lit and remainders (cheap bastard), as usual; got me Edith Wharton's Old New York: Four Novellas and a remainder copy of New York Calling by Marshall Berman. And even though the former comes free with the iZombie readers, buying literature that are downloadable free in iZombies was my way of saying fuck you to Amazon. I also got Sacre Bleu: A Comedy D'Art by Christopher Moore

    One should not take for granted the power of the medium of paper and ink, the musty smells of a book, and the dog-eared corners stains in them. Indie bookstores are Frodo. Amazon is Mordor. I'd like to see a neigborhood or community rally for Amazon.

    And in France, there are two things you don’t throw out -- bread and books.

    #shutupesquared

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  4. Marty WombacherJuly 23, 2012 at 11:19 AM

    It was a great day and I'm glad a lot of people showed up! Thanks for organizing this Jeremiah and best of luck to St. Mark's Bookshop!

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  5. SammyJuly 24, 2012 at 9:25 AM

    It was great and I left with 50 dollars worth of quality reading.

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