Monarch Books & Gifts in Overland Park., Kan., has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help recover from a "perfect storm" of financial difficulties, including a hack of its business account that "completely wiped out" the store's cash flow. The campaign has a goal of $38,000.
In addition to the theft, the store has also faced issues due to inflation, a slower-than-normal summer, and other factors. Owner Christin Young reported that it has reached a point where "being able to pay invoices and cover the day-to-day operating expenses has become impossible."
Young noted that while the funds raised will not replace what was stolen, "it will help to overcome the shortfall from fraud and slow summer sales, bring accounts current, pay rent, and get back to serving our community."
The campaign has been running for a little over two weeks and has so far raised just over $15,500. "The support from our community has been heartwarming," said bookseller Chandler Rawson. "We, alongside our Overland Park community, are continuing to work hard to recover what was stolen from our store."
Monarch Books & Gifts celebrated its fifth anniversary this spring. Young founded the bookstore in 2019 as Green Door Book Store & Gift Shoppe before changing the name in 2022.