Westsider Books Saved By Generous New Yorkers

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The "closing soon" sign at the Upper West Side's last remaining used bookstore, Westsider Books, didn't loom over the Broadway storefront for very long. Less than a week since store owners announced a closing sale, the business has been saved by a succesful crowdfunding effort, according to reports.

Store owner Dorian Thornley told amNewYork that he and co-owner Bryan Gonzalez are "speechless" that a GoFundMe campaign raised more than $50,000 for the store in just six days, but were not suprised by the fund's success.

"Into the second day of the crowd-funder [we realized we didn't have to close]," Thornley told the newspaper. "It looked like we had weeks until we said we were going to close and the fundraiser was shooting up and up and it looked like we would make it by day three or four."

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As of this writing, the GoFundMe campaign has raised $52,571 in just six days. The money will pay off back rent owed by the store owners and will fund a new advertising campaign and inventory purchases, amNewYork reported.

Upper West Sider Bobby Panza launched the GoFundMe campaign after Thornley offered a hypothetical sum of money in an interview with neighborhood blog West Side Rag.

The bookstore launched its closing sale on Tuesday, discounting all items by 30 percent until the store shut its doors. Westsider Books is located at 2246 Broadway between West 80th and 81st streets. Store owners told amNewYork that a grand re-opening celebration is being planned.

GoFundMe is a promotional partner of Patch.

Photo by Bobby Panza courtesy GoFundMe