Cash mob organizer works to assist Capitola Book Cafe; Friday event aims to help local bookseller survive

By JONDI GUMZ - Santa Cruz Sentinel

Posted:   06/26/2012 05:28:00 PM PDT

CAPITOLA - Cash Mob Santa Cruz is coming back, and this time it will take place 4-7 p.m. Friday at the Capitola Book Cafe, 1475 41st Ave.

Cash mobs are spreading across the nation to support locally owned businesses.

Santa Cruz organizer Matthew Werner is a patron of Capitola Book Cafe, attending readings by cyclist Geoff Drake, poet John Chandler and local novelist Thad Nodine. The 30-year-old independent bookstore is "a cherished venue for authors far and near to find an audience for their work," but is "having difficulty keeping its doors open," as Werner put it.

Having orchestrated his first cash mob in May, bringing 150 people to Greenspace, he decided to organize cash mob No. 2 for Capitola Book Cafe. His rules are simple: Spend at least $20, meet three new people, and have fun.

"We're stoked," said Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, one of four Capitola Book Cafe co-owners.

She described the event as one of several ways customers have stepped up to help the bookseller survive the toughest economy since the Great Recession and the challenge of Internet competition.

...read the complete article here...

Capitola Book Cafe - Cash Mob

Within the past year I've attended numerous readings by local poets and authors at the Capitola Book Cafe. Geoff Drake's tales of bicycle racing (Team 7-Eleven), Thad Nodine's exciting first novel Touch and Go, and John Chandler's poetry, to name a few. This gem of an independent bookstore is a cherished venue for authors far and near to find an audience for their work. A place for the public to get up-close-and-personal with your favorite creative types. But the store is having difficulty keeping its doors open.

We are planning a Cash Mob event for the Capitola Book Cafe on Friday June 29th, from 5 to 7 pm. As before, we'll do it informal Santa Cruz style - if you can't make it at the appointed time, then make an effort to come before or after.

Three rules for Cash Mob:
1. Spend at least $20;
2. Meet three people you didn’t know before;
3. HAVE FUN!!!

The Capitola Book Cafe is located at 1475 41st Avenue, Capitola, CA 95010. Their telephone number is: 831.462.4415.

Read more about their Survive & Thrive Campaign here.

Greenspace Moving Days

Recieved this email from Lydia at Greenspace on 1 June 2012:

Dear colleagues, customers, and friends-

The store is closed! We haven't found a new home yet, so we are going into storage. We are not giving up, but it's time to move. We will still be mixing paint out of Lydia's garage until we find our new location. Email us your paint needs and stay tuned for more news! We are keeping our phone, email and web site. 

Many people have asked what they can do to help us and made generous offers. We would like to accept, with deepest gratitude. Here are some opportunities for you to take part.

We are packed and ready to start moving Saturday and Sunday. We will start at greenspace at 9 a.m. both days, moving everything to storage facilities on the Westside. We plan to work until 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. If you would like to help, we will gratefully welcome you (and your car, van, truck, truck-trailer or bike-trailer) for any length of time. There will be treats and pizza around noon both days. Any vehicle can move stuff, and on-site assistance loading vehicles and cleaning will also be needed. Many hands will make light work.

Thank you all for letting us know you want us around. We look forward to thriving in a new smaller venue sometime in the near future, focused on what we do best: interiors and finishes!

Thanks again to all of you,

Lydia