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Weather here in the Pacific Northwest is notoriously unpredictable. We have a reputation for rain, but we’re just as likely to have 80 degree days in February or snow in April (true stories). This year has been more normal, but the five or six years preceding it have been anything but.
Exodus Books reflects this unpredictability in many ways. We’ve had bright skies and storms, drought and flourishing, and somehow we’ve survived it all. But climates change, and the weather report for our immediate future is anything but certain. In fact, it can look downright threatening.
We've reached a crossroads. Due to a variety of circumstances outside our control, Exodus Books is faced with two options: either we radically change our mode of operation, or we close our doors for good.
A radical change means trimming our selection, revamping our production of original online content, finding a smaller but more retail-friendly storefront, and redoubling our efforts to provide the best customer service available.
Closing our doors means just that.
We prefer the first option, but the final verdict belongs to you, our customers. And as has always been the case, we can’t pursue either course without your help. That’s why we’re launching a GoFundMe campaign to keep our store open and help cover the substantial costs of moving to a new location. (Details and links will be provided in our July newsletter.)
The campaign will be two-tiered. If we hit our first goal ($60K) we’ll stay open as an online warehouse. The money would go toward securing (or building) a warehouse, lowering prices, developing a free shipping program, writing more reviews, advertising, and generally improving our online competitive edge. You’d be able to order online, and three days a week we’d offer appointment-based consulting.
If we hit our second goal ($100K) we’ll stay open online and in a physical storefront. We won’t reduce our selection as much as would be required by a warehouse model, and we’ll use the funds to move, improve our new retail space, expand our core inventory, and continue to offer you our honest consulting and reviews free of charge.
If our campaign fails, we’ll liquidate our entire stock later this year. If it succeeds, we hope to serve you for many years more. The weather may change—but the need to give kids a great education never does.
Thank you for sticking with us this long, for your prayers, for enduring cryptic news announcements, and for bearing with the seemingly never-ending changes around here. You are worth it, and whatever happens we’re beyond grateful for the journey this far. As for the next stretch, stay calm and bring an umbrella.
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