WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — The wayfaring Word Up Community Book Store, which left its digs on 175th Street last August, has a new home.
The beloved bookstore will set up permanent shop at 2113 Amsterdam, at the corner of 165th Street, after months of using carts and pop-up space to move its wares.
Word Up organizer Veronica Liu spread the news via email Tuesday, telling supporters that "after months of searching, meeting, deliberating, and preparing, we're proud of our new home and are already dreaming of future collaborations with you."
A move-in date hasn't been announced yet, but Liu is telling supporters to stay tuned.
Word Up's new space is owned by Community League of the Heights, the uptown development organization that is also helping run a community health clinic in a nearby school.
Word Up has been searching for a new home ever since its previous landlord jacked up the price of its month-to-month lease to over $9,000. Since then the store has held pop-up book sales at the United Palace and and NoMAA Gallery.
Liu and other members of the all-volunteer book shop looked at over 20 spaces before settling on their current location. In January, the store successfully raised over $60,000 on IndieGoGo to fund a new location.
Liu made special effort to thank those who supported the book store during the past year.
"I hope to see you soon, at Word Up, in the neighborhood, in the city, in the summer," Liu said.
