The owner of the Black-owned New York City bookstore Adanne is currently racing the clock to save her celebrated space.
Darlene Okpo revealed in an Instagram post that amid a conflict with her management company, her bookstore is having to vacate its current space in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn.
“As a loyal supporter of Adanne, I wanted to reach out and let you know that I will have to move my business out of Dumbo,” she wrote in the post. “I’m disappointed to say that while I’ve been working hard on this space for the past two years, things are not working out with my management company.”
She continued that her current situation “has made it impossible for me to continue operating at this location” and her “conflict” between her and her management company led to her having to leave the DUMBO space within 30 days.
Okpo has located a new spot in Bed-Stuy to relocate Adanne.
In her Instagram post, she went on to ask her followers for any financial support they could provide as she transitions out of DUMBO. She stressed that financial support wasn’t all that mattered — telling her followers that she’d also appreciate them sharing the post with their network or offering any encouragement or suggestions as she navigates the unexpected situation.
Speaking to BK Reader, Okpo said it was initially tough for her to share her situation with her followers.
“When I posted that first video, I cried because I felt as if I was letting people down,” said Okpo. “It was very emotional for me because I’ve built this space.”
She said that outside of helping her raise funds, sharing the post was important for her to keep her patrons and community updated on the situation.
“Yes, the finances are important, but there are other ways we can get the money if you can’t donate,” said Okpo. “I’m a strategic person. Sharing the Instagram post was so important… It was so important to let people know what’s going on.”
Okpo has received some sweeping support from her community, with the entrepreneur’s fundraiser raising $7500 of her $30,000 goal.
She’s grateful for the opportunity to keep Adanne open and honor the history of bookstores.
“I’m also thinking about the future and acknowledging the bookstores before me,” she said. “No one is really investing in bookstores. So, I’m doing it to change the world. I want to promote literacy and make sure people are enjoying their love for reading and reading books that inspire them.”