Summary
The Imaginary Bookshop and Storytellers Writing Center is a youth writing center designed to help kids tell their own stories, supported by a whimsical bookshop full of stories to spark creativity in all ages.
The Imaginary Bookshop has existed online and in pop-up form since 2017, serving those kids who stay up late with a flashlight to read spooky books, and the adults they become. In 2021 we launched the Storytellers Writing Center—collaborating with the Greenfield Public Library & Greenfield High School on a limited series of workshops and projects. The writing center is based in the belief that young people need places where they can write, be heard, and have their voices amplified, and through the pilot program we were able to work with students as young as four and as old as 18 to help them tell some truly wonderful stories. Now, after four years of working with amazing stories at all stages, we’re bringing the shop & writing center into the physical realm full time!
We want stepping into the shop to feel like you’ve stumbled into a bookshop from your dreams—one where you’ll find exactly the book you need, even if you didn’t know it. We are the only youth writing center in the Pioneer Valley as well as the only genre-specific bookshop in the area that focuses on small presses and books written by women and other marginalized groups.
In addition to a magical bookshop & interactive writing workshops, we plan to publish student work, bring in local writers to work with students, create weird public writing displays to share with the community, and so much more!
Who We Are
Crista and Maura met their first weekend at college when Crista knocked on Maura's dorm room door and invited her to spend Saturday night writing flash fiction in the library. Unsurprisingly, they have ended up with over a decade of experience in publishing & education, as well as event planning, marketing, and retail.
Crista DeRicco - Most recently an elementary school children’s librarian, Crista is a professional book enthusiast. She has worked at various bookshops, in event planning, marketing, and in education, with students ranging from pre-school to undergraduate. She holds a Masters in English & Publishing from Rosemont College.
Maura MacDonald - Maura is a bookseller and editor by trade. She holds a Masters in Publishing from Oxford Brookes University and has worked on topics ranging from medical journals, to history, to early childhood education at publishers like Wiley-Blackwell and Oxford University Press.
What We Need & What You Get
The first few months are a challenging time for a new business and your contribution will help us with start up costs like:
- Expanding our inventory
- Accessibility upgrades for the shop
- PPE for staff and customers as well as a HEPA air filter
- Shelving, displays, and other furniture
In thanks for your contribution, we've created some new & fun items—some in collaboration with other local businesses and artists!
We are dedicated to building a community around books and stories. Even if we don't reach our full goal, the funds we raise will partially fund some of our major start-up expenses, so we really appreciate your support at any level.
Perk Tiers
Website Thank You - $1
Logo Stickers - $5
Thank You Postcard - $8
Sticker Set - $10
Curiosity Cabinet Thank You - $15
Notebook - $15
Shop Tea - $15
Free Writing Workshops Support - $25
Tote Bag - $25
Honorary Staff Pick - $30
Book Concierge - $35
One Year Membership - $60
Adventure Kit - $60
ALL THE WRITING THINGS - $80
ALL THE BOOKSHOP THINGS - $110
Add On Items:
Meet Your Ghost - $2
What’s Next Mini Prompts - $4
Five Bookplates - $5
Summer Break Adventure Kit - $25
Risks & Challenges
All new ventures have some degree of risk, but having operated online and at pop-up events for the past four years has taught us a lot. While opening a physical location during a pandemic is probably our biggest challenge—we already have the infrastructure to pivot to online orders & curbside pickup as needed. We've gotten great feedback from the community at in-person events and we've been able to integrate that into our future plans. We've also gotten a great response from our small pilot writing program in collaboration with the Greenfield Public Library and the Greenfield High School and we're so excited to expand on that.
With great love and appreciation from your weird book aunts,
Crista & Maura
P.S. Many thanks to the absolutely wonderful Hannah Collins for designing both the original & new versions of our logos http://www.hrrcollins.com/
