Yu & Me Books Recovery Fund

Yu & Me Books needs your help.

On the afternoon of July 4, there was a fire in a residential unit located directly above our bookstore. Due to significant smoke and water damage, we’ve lost the majority of our inventory and much of the equipment that makes our day-to-day business possible. We have been forced to cease operations and postpone all events for the foreseeable future. Most devastatingly, we’ve been told that the store will require a complete gut renovation—estimated to take about a year to complete.

Facing closure for an entire year is catastrophic for a small business. Insurance money won’t be coming in for at least eight months, taxes and other bills are due, and we want to make sure we can keep our staff paid while keeping their health insurance. If you’ve been to any of our book launches, artist pop-ups, open mic nights, safety device distribution events, or even just visited on a weekday afternoon, you know what this space means to so many people. We celebrate community at its core and constantly work to ensure that everyone who visits our space feels supported and cared for. Lucy has poured her entire self into making this space a reality, keeping the store afloat throughout so many challenges while always prioritizing our staff, customers, authors, and the Chinatown community as a whole. It’s been an incredibly difficult 48 hours, but in true Lucy fashion, we’re gonna find a way.

With your help, Yu & Me Books is hoping to cover the following expenses:

Staff wages

Pop up/temporary space operating costs

Replacing all tech & POS systems

Replacing all damaged inventory

Pending/existing payments for destroyed inventory

Insurance deductibles

Accounting fees

New furniture

Utilities

Building an emergency fund for the year

Any amount is truly appreciated. We know we can get through this together.

You can also support us through our bookshop.org page:

https://bookshop.org/shop/yuandmebooks or venmoing Lucy at @LUCYYWAVES

We cannot wait to welcome everyone back when we’re able to, and are so grateful for everyone who has reached out to check in and ask how to support. Sharing this page is the best way to do so right now. In the meantime, if you see Lucy, give her a hug and ask if she’s eaten yet.

With love,

Yu & Me Staff