One small business owner’s consistent vulnerability to her community is helping her stay afloat during hardship as she requests assistance for the second time.
According to Pasadena Now, the Black woman-owned business Octavia’s Bookshelf was founded by Nikki High, a former corporate communications employee at Trader Joe’s who left corporate America to accomplish one of her biggest goals: owning a bookstore. The name of her shop was inspired by Octavia Butler, who was known for her science fiction novels. When she opened her doors in February 2023, she was immediately embraced by her neighborhood and got more than enough support to move into a bigger space.
Due to traffic slowing down in the store, High is asking her community and the general public for help to remain in business; she set up a GoFundMe page.
“We need a lifetime,” she said, according to Pasadena Now.
So far, she’s raised over $83,000 of her $90,000 goal. The last time High raised funds through GoFundMe, a little over $22,000 poured in.
“To be completely transparent, we need an urgent influx of cash to keep us afloat right now,” High wrote. “The coffers are dry and the reserves are non-existent. We are being faced with tremendous financial mountains to climb to get here we need to be to be sustainable and I need your help once again.”
Her GoFundMe page continued, “Bookselling is a tricky animal and being a Black [Woman] entrepreneur adds another level of hardship that I was not quite prepared for,” she explained. “Being underresourced but determined, I have fought through the highs and lows of retail. I’ve made some mistakes, and I’ve learned so much. Of all the sleepless nights and hardships, it’s the community we’ve built that has kept me going and reaffirmed to me that Octavia’s Bookshelf is a space we need to keep in our community.”
Due to lack of funding, she was forced to cut the shop’s regular events, group discussions, children’s readings and workshops, but she hopes to be able to offer these services again soon once she raises enough money.
Despite the hurdles she faces, High is unwilling to throw away her dreams.
“I still know that this is a viable business,” High told Pasadena Now, “and this space is crucial to our community.”
