Hey Little Ghosts' Pals,

Thank you!

Hey Little Ghosts Family - we want to thank you for four amazing years!  Four years of vendor markets, book launches, author appearances, book signings, writers' workshops, not one but two bookclubs and more!  Don't worry, we're not going anywhere (didn't mean to scare you, ignore the ghost), but...

This year we have hit a roadblock… 

While we are so proud of the programming that we have been able to provide to our community, we have been receiving a growing number of requests to host everything from more writers workshops, to bigger book launches and reading series, zinemaking circles, and more! And believe us, we want to! But our little bookshop can't hold the footprint of these events and function as a store. If you have been to any of our most recent screenwriting workshops, readings, or book clubs, you've likely seen it: folks wander in hoping to shop our shelves, only to find them blocked off by the seating arrangements required by our events schedule. We offer all of our programming at no cost when we can, and as low cost as possible when we can’t, but limiting the access to our store means less sales, and it has started to put a squeeze on our ability to keep up with operational costs.

UNFORTUNATELY…

A move to a bigger space is out of the question for us. Not only do we love our little space, we are still paying off the over 100k loan that building the store cost. Yikes! And a bigger space means higher rent, which would potentially just squeeze us further. 

THE GOOD NEWS!

Behind the patio lives an unused 500 sq ft garage, and our landlord has given us full permission to convert it into a usable workshop at no additional rental cost to us . This would be HUGE for Little Ghosts, as we would be able to run workshops, readings, markets and more without disrupting the flow of the storefront. It also opens us up to running workshops hosted by our community members, offering a studio space at an affordable price when we aren't running our own programs. Little Ghosts has a solid team that has proven adept at this kind of event management and promotion, and we are passionate about our support of the artistic community. We have full belief in our ability to run the workshop! 

But we need your help with the costs.

The garage is currently in rough shape. The roof needs to be repaired, the space needs to be insulated and equipped with electrical and heating & cooling. It currently has only temporary plywood doors so would need a new garage door and side entrance. The concrete floor also could use some patching. 

So what's so great about the space?  

It is easily accessed through our beautiful back patio and once completed, the entire space can be open in the good weather months: we envision big french doors to allow maximum accessibility across the whole back area. Right next to R.L. Spine (the bookshop's 12ft skeleton) we foresee potential for very photographable events. Direct access to the alley means transporting materials to and fro could happen straight through the back without the need to shlep drywall and other materials through the bookstore. Construction could happen without interrupting our regular business, and Pop-Ups could run without the need to continue to close store operations.

So here it is Little Ghosts: Our Call For Help!

We're looking to continue to support our creative community by building this addition and opening it up to host all of the amazing programming we have run so far... and more! If you've haunted the shop, believe in the Little Ghosts' vision, and want to throw in to help, now's the time! We have a bunch of fun little rewards here, from commemorative ceramic wall ghosts to have you Haunt the Store, special edition T-Shirts, and big silly donation amounts where you can name the workshop space. We want to know we can afford to take on the work ahead of our lease renewal in March, so meeting our goal before then is imperative. Rewards that require production will go out after the renovation- it's gonna be a lot of work! 

Why Help the Little Ghosts At All? 

Little Ghosts Books was established in 2022 with the vision of showcasing new and indie horror that lacked a platform in major bookstores. Frustrated by the small selections at major retailers and a lack of diversity on shelves, Chris built Little Ghosts Books in the heart of Toronto's Trinity Bellwoods neighborhood with a small business loan and a dream of a queer horror community. To say that this goal was achieved is an understatement.

To date, Little Ghosts hosts 2 book clubs per month (one that explores both classic and contemporary horror, and one with a focus on indie horror from LGBTQA+ creators), as well as a monthly Work in Progress Night that provides editorial and peer feedback to local authors. We have hosted over 90 book launches and readings for authors, both traditionally published and self-published, buying up-front and stocking books from creators from all publishing backgrounds, at no cost to them. We have a Quarterly Spooky Marketplace, inviting artisans, craftspeople, tarot readers and more to the shop to showcase and sell work inside the bookstore, at low or no cost to them. To top it all off, last year marked our first annual Little Ghosts Fest: A horror festival run by Little Ghosts on the first weekend of October with 6 panels, 22 vendors, and ending in a short horror film fest. We are so proud of the ways we have been able to support our community, and the work we have done over the past 4 years.

Here's a little breakdown of how funds will be allocated:

Any additional funds raised by this campaign will go directly to paying off our startup loans and negotiating pay raises for the Little Ghosts Collective. While Chris may have started Little Ghosts, Little Ghosts is currently run by 4 dedicated LGBTQA+ individuals with no turnover and all decisions about our operations are made as a team. It is our hope to change the structure of the business to a cooperative as soon as the full amount of the startup loan is paid off, to better reflect the ongoing dedication and contributions of the Little Ghosts team.

Thank you so much for your support of our little bookstore and community space! Little Ghosts Forever <3