Help Red Emma's Build a Bigger, Better Bookstore

Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse is a collectively owned and operated radical bookstore and cafe that is located in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Photo via http://weekly.citypaper.com

Since its founding in 2004, Red Emma's has hosted over 1,000 events, including book and zine presentations, theater company productions, benefit dinners, film screenings, and an annual Radical Bookfair. Plus, it started the Baltimore Free School, a volunteer-run effort that offers lessons in foreign languages, philosophy, and more at zero cost to people of all ages and backgrounds in the community. With so much going on, Red Emma's has outgrown its original space, at 800 St. Paul Street at the corner of East Madison.

So, for the first time in its more than 8-year history, Red Emma's is relocating - this time, to a much bigger space at 30 West North Avenue. Over five times the size of Red Emma's original location, the new space will allow it to greatly increase its selection of books and other merchandise. It will also allow it to expand its on-site food operation, which will continue to offer locally sourced food items and fair trade coffee. In addition, the larger space will permit the members of Red Emma's to continue to host their incredible number of events but with much more seating and in a building that is fully accessible.

The workers at Red Emma's have already signed the lease for the new, larger space. Now, they need YOUR help to pay for necessary renovations, equipment, licensing, and other fees. Through the crowdfunding site Indiegogo, Red Emma's is hoping to raise at least $50,000. So far, it's raised $8,915. Show your support for Red Emma's and for what it's doing by chipping in to help it reach its goal. If you love independent bookstores, if you love small businesses, if you love volunteer efforts that benefit the entire community, then contribute to Red Emma's fund-raiser today! You can do so HERE.