Beyond Borders, Kokomo, Ind., which includes the Beyond Barcodes Bookstore, Beyond Borders Language Learning Center, and Bind Café, is moving this month.
Owner DeAndra Beard had hoped to buy the building in which her family venture has been located since 2015, but has decided instead to buy a different location, as well as a food bus, which "will make it easier to bring her delicious foods, coffees, teas, books and fresh produce to the community in a safe way during the pandemic." Beard will host a "First Friday Farewell" to the location tonight, for which Bind Café will serve fan favorites, including street tacos.
Beard had launched a GoFundMe campaign late last year hoping to raise $40,000 for a down payment on the current building. As of June 8, she had raised $1,315, mostly from local family and friends.
But then, as Beyond Borders recounted, "Amidst the racial upheaval following George Floyd's killing at hands of police, the business was featured on an Instagram post encouraging people to buy from black-owned bookstores. The post went viral and was picked up by Entertainment Weekly. In a surge of momentum, Beard was featured in the New York Times, CNN Headline News and most recently in Oprah Magazine. She received an outpouring of support and overwhelming influx of book orders from customers from all 50 states!"
The GoFundMe campaign is nearing the goal of $40,000.