A bookstore is asking for help to be saved from eviction in Toronto

One of Toronto’s best bookstores called out to their community on Monday, asking for help to save them from eviction.

Glad Day Bookshop is Toronto’s premier queer bookstore, hosting community events like drag brunches and selling a wide range of queer literature. The space also operates as a cafe and bar. They’ve been around since 1970, making them the world’s oldest 2SLGBTQ bookstore.

This week, they posted a moving request for help to their Instagram account, saying they’ve “reached a crisis point.”

“Since the ‘end’ of the pandemic (and the end of COVID-19 subsidies) we have been struggling. We have been going into debt almost every month for the last 2 years. We have often been short on rent. Our landlord has been patient but if we are unable to provide him with a lump sum payment of $100,000 in July, we will be evicted,” reads the post.

“BUT if we can pay him $100,000, he has agreed to a small reduction in our rent for 1 year, which gives us time to consult with our communities, explore our options, and create the next version of Glad Day. We are hoping to raise $300,000 to give us at least one more stable year at our current location and provide the capacity needed to dream of and act on whatever Glad Day becomes next.”

From there, the post breaks down what the funds will be used for. $100,000 will go to rent arrears to simply avoid eviction. $30,000 each will be allocated to hiring a part-time fundraiser, subsidizing insurance, paying performers and artists and improving their performance space. $25,000 will go towards refreshing their book stock and $15,000 will be used to expand their selection of merch and art from local artists.

Looking forward, $10,000 each would go to repairing and improving accessibility as well as in-person and virtual consultations. A last $20,000 would help provide funding for the future of what Glad Day could become.

Their fundraising page also further breaks down some of the bookstore’s monthly figures: rent is almost $18,000, insurance is $2,500, hydro is often over $2,500 and gas is about $1,000, which is $24,000 a month before they’ve even paid staff, paid for one book or paid for coffee beans.

The post has around 8,000 likes and hundreds of comments, and fortunately within the first 24 hours of their fundraiser the bookstore has already made a decent dent in their goal. They’ve already raised $58,000 (over halfway to their lump sum payment goal for July) from over 1,000 donors within just one day.

Even if you’re not able to donate money, the store lists many other ways they suggest you can help: sending a testimonial, coming in for cocktails, attending drag brunch, donating used X-rated materials (which sell well and quickly), volunteering your time and skills, performing at Glad Day and simply sharing the campaign.