Chinatown bookstore in New York raises more than $330,000 after fire

A popular Asian American bookstore in Manhattan's Chinatown, described as the first and only Asian American woman-owned bookstore in the city, has raised more than $330,000 in a GoFundMe effort after a fire caused major damage to the store.

More than 6,200 donations have been made to Yu & Me Books, including from Marvel Shang-Qi star Simu Liu and authors Celeste Ng and Min-Jin Lee.

The original fundraising goal was $150,000 for the store that owner Lucy Yu opened in December 2021 on Mulberry Street. With the donations, Yu said she can still pay her staff and their health insurance.

The fire at the five-story building broke out on the floor above the bookstore on the afternoon of July 4. The cause hasn't been determined.

A 75-year-old man who was among the people living above the bookstore died Tuesday after he was hospitalized with injuries. His dog also died in the fire.

Karlin Chan, who lives two blocks from the bookstore, said he saw smoke coming from the building. He said he knocked on doors of his building to tell people to get ready to leave in case the fire spread.

Chan said that when he reached the store, firetrucks had arrived, and firefighters were setting up ladders so people living above the bookstore could escape from windows.

The fire caused devastating smoke and water damage to the bookstore's inventory and furniture and the building. Yu and her staff tried to save as many books as they could, but she said on social media that "we have lost the majority of our inventory and much of the equipment that makes our day-to-day business possible".

She said that the store will be closed indefinitely for repairs and renovations that may take a year.

Yu said the raised funds will go to a temporary pop-up space operation, inventory replacement, new furniture and other bills.

The store's website says its goal is to showcase strong and diverse voices of the community, with a focus on immigrant stories and "creating a home".

Yu is a 27-year-old former chemical engineer and supply chain manager, and she expressed her passion for operating her own small business.

"My dream is to create a space where we can dream together, share our passion, strive for change, and push systems closer to justice," she wrote on social media. She said she wants her bookstore to become a place where everyone feels welcome, heard and safe because hate crimes against Asians expanded dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chinatown and the city.

The local community supported Yu's idea to open a bookstore, raising $22,000 on GoFundMe in May 2021. Seven months later, Yu opened the store. Yu & Me Books is also a café, a bar and an event venue, regularly holding book launches, author readings, artist pop-ups, open mic nights and other events to showcase Asian Americans and the voices of people of color.

"It's a beautiful, lovely place," said a customer who stood in front of the store looking through a window to view the damage Monday afternoon.

"This is a vital and unique bookstore which in a short time has created a marvelous community. I am heartbroken by the loss. I'm contributing because I want it to rise again," said Carol Chen, who donated and wrote on GoFundMe to support the owner.

The five-story residential building is now under renovation.