Now that the beleaguered St. Mark's Bookshop has officially gotten their rent reduced by Cooper Union, it's time to party! And if you've never seen a bunch of literary types and old-school East Village stalwarts let their hair down, you're in for a real treat.
The Cooper Square Committee, the neighborhood organization that led the fight to save the store, is throwing a victory celebration/ 34th birthday party for the shop on December 1st, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. "Together we have scored a victory for the St. Mark’s Bookshop and the Lower East Side!" reads the invitation from the Committee. "Cooper Union has agreed to a new one-year lease to reduce their monthly rent to $17,500. The bookshop has a $2,500/month rent reduction and Cooper Union will forgive back rent owed. This is a $37,500 win for the bookstore. We won through a lot of organizing—including your signature among the 44,128 on our online petition. Thank you!"
Who knows—maybe some of the Bookshop's famous friends will stop by for a slice of cake and a toast to victory.
