Chinatown bookstore raises more than $320,000 after fire

A popular Asian American bookstore in Chinatown, described as the first Asian American woman-owned bookstore in Manhattan, has raised more than $320,000 in a GoFundMe effort after a fire caused major damage to the store.

The original goal was $150,000 for the Yu & Me bookstore, which owner Lucy Yo opened in 2021 on Mulberry Street. The fire broke out on the floor above the store on the afternoon of July 4. The cause hasn't been determined. A 75-year-old tenant who lived above the store was hospitalized and remains in critical condition.

Karlin Chan, who lives two blocks from the store, said he saw smoke coming from the building. "I ran over to my building and knocked on doors to tell people to get ready to leave in case the fire spread," he said.

The fire caused smoke and water damage to the bookstore's inventory and furniture and the building. The store will be closed indefinitely for repairs and renovations that Yo said likely will take a year.

"We've lost the majority of our inventory and much of the equipment that makes our day-to-day business possible," she wrote on social media.

Yo said the raised funds will go to staff wages, a temporary pop-up space, inventory replacement and furniture.

In a description of the store, Yo describes it as showcasing immigrant stories and "creating a home for the community". It had become an event venue, regularly holding book launches, author readings, artist pop-ups, open mic nights and other events

"It's a beautiful, lovely place," said a customer who stood in front of the store Monday afternoon.