Williamsburg bookstore turns new page thanks to online fundraiser
The GoFundMe CEO visited the shop after the flood.
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A Brooklyn bookstore is turning a new page thanks in part to a GoFundMe campaign.
Simona Blat, owner of Black Spring Books in Williamsburg, said that a severe storm flooded the basement and destroyed about a thousand books in July.
"A lot of these books are rare, they're out of print, they're hard to find," said Blat. "That's just a loss you can't really recover."
Blat said she was able to save some boxes of books, but the flooding caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
"Knowing I had lost all of this stock, I didn't really know what I was going to do," said Blat.
Her friend, Nicole Treska, started a GoFundMe, which raised nearly $25,000.
"I was like, 'Oh my God,'" said Blat. "Like, what? That's crazy!"
News 12 was invited to the shop on Tuesday, as GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan took a tour.
Cadogan's stop in Williamsburg was part of his visit to New York City, where the company marked a milestone of raising $50 billion for online fundraisers since it started in 2010.
"It's great to be able to see that they can recover, and the community is so behind her and what she's doing here, because it's not just a bookshop," said Cadogan. "It's a place where people come together, build community, share stories. It really matters."
Blat admitted that she's still struggling to pay her rent and keep the store open after five years, but the online fundraiser is helping to keep the place running a little while longer.
"It's a lifeline," said Blat.
