On a hot, heavily trafficked Thursday afternoon in Moiliili, the uncluttered, quiet upstairs space of Revolution Books had the feeling of an aerie high above the fray. Yet the fray, in this case the struggle for social and economic justice, is what the iconic Honolulu bookstore has been engaged in for 39 years.
In that time, it has incubated and educated generations of seekers, activists and just plain readers of fiction, poetry, history, philosophy and, of course, economics. "We always try to have a core staffer here, so if someone asks about communism they can explain," said Carolyn Hadfield, co-founder and manager. All the staff, including Hadfield, are volunteers working without pay.
Early this year, however, Revolution Books found itself scraping the bottom of the fiscal barrel, heavily in debt. "It’s really different for independent bookstores everywhere, but we face the rising costs of shipping and energy that affect Hawaii small businesses disproportionately," she said. "It costs us $500 a month just to keep the lights on."
A true community bookstore, Revolution Books hosts free events such as a poetry reading or a film screening almost every Sunday. On Easter Sunday they’ll have a jazz music jam. Books, whether literature or polemic, are chosen "so people can understand and emotionally connect with other people better," Hadfield said. "So a lot of our fiction is by writers from India and Palestine, for instance, that you don’t find prominently displayed in other bookstores."
Titles displayed on tables included "This Changes Everything" by Naomi Klein, "Malcolm X Speaks: Selected Speeches and Statements" edited by George Breitman, "The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars" by Michael Mann, "The Omnivore’s Dilemma" by Michael Pollan and "Claire of the Sea Light," the latest fiction by Haitian-born writer Edwidge Danticat. Used books are also sold for $1-$2 each.
To keep costs down, Hadfield kept the inventory slim. Just as some live from paycheck to paycheck, Revolution Books went from book to book, keeping only one or two copies of each title in stock and reordering only after one sold. This may not have been the soundest business model, but it was based on necessity, she said.
Asked if e-books were causing the crisis, Hadfield demurred. "I don’t think people are reading less. They miss and are returning to the social aspect of real books, which they can pass around and share with family and friends, unlike a Kindle."
Still, for the first time in four decades, she found herself in near-despair. Debts had mounted, shelves were going bare and the business had no money. Garage sales, passing the hat at events and other modest fundraising efforts had brought in only small amounts. This time the store needed $10,000. When friends suggested social media crowdsourcing to raise funds, Hadfield felt reluctant to ask the public for money.
"We’re not a nonprofit. We’re a not-for-profit," she quipped with a rueful smile.
She was equally reluctant to ask the bookstore’s staff and longtime circle of supporters to dig into their own pockets. So on Feb. 18, the "Save Revolution Books" campaign launched on Indiegogo.com with a goal of raising $10,000 in 30 days. The money will go to pay past bills and replenish critical inventory.
By Wednesday, they had reached their goal. "We’re reconnecting with people from all over the place, like a professor in Minnesota who used to come to the store when he was a student at (the University of Hawaii) 25 years ago. And we’re getting checks and letters from so many other people we didn’t know supported us."
The deadline is Friday, and since the full amount has been raised, the bookstore will be able to keep it all.
"We’re going to make it," Hadfield said. "We’re confident the business will continue for years to come. We don’t intend to continue to do campaigns like this but will probably still have small garage sales from time to time," she added. If history indeed repeats itself, Revolution Books will continue to hold the banner on high.
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