Brooklynites Raise $79K To Save Desert Island Bookstore In Just 2 Days

BROOKLYN, NY — More than 2,800 people have donated more than $79,000 to save Desert Island, a beloved artist-made comic book store in Williamsburg.

Desert Island has thrived on Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg for the past 16 years, hosting free events and selling work by countless local artists.

Gabe Fowler, the shop's owner, posted on GoFundMe on Sunday that a nearby business had offered his landlord almost double the rent and that he had to come up with the matching funds to stay in the location.

The landlord's new asking price was $201,600 for a three-year lease, and Desert Island was $79,200 short.

"It’s difficult to swallow our pride and ask for your assistance, but many people have said they don’t want to lose this resource," Fowler wrote when he published the fundraiser.

In just two days, the $79,200 was fully funded.

Fowler said in the post that there was still a chance he'd have to move his business, in which case, the funds would go toward the transition and the new lease.

Marissa and Alex Gimeno, who chipped in $50, commented, "Neighborhood wouldn’t be the same w/out you!"

For more information or to donate to the fundraiser, click here. Desert Island is located at 540 Metropolitan Ave.