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A Wild Fig Books & Coffee Shout-Out Post:
from june 2011 to feb 2015, the original fig was 30,000 books (99% used) & 2 airpots of coffee. we closed because: broke af.
but we& #39;re artist and stupid? so we tried it again, reopening the fig SEPT 15, 2015 (hbd... also r.i.p.)
from june 2011 to feb 2015, the original fig was 30,000 books (99% used) & 2 airpots of coffee. we closed because: broke af.
but we& #39;re artist and stupid? so we tried it again, reopening the fig SEPT 15, 2015 (hbd... also r.i.p.)
we went from a 2000 sq ft strip mall to a 900 sq ft house, converted for business in the middle of one of lexington& #39;s most impoverished neighborhoods undergoing gentrification... we endured initial heat from skeptics until local activists rallied in our support
of the several businesses that had opened in an area most known for its meth labs and sex work, we were the only one that the locals felt welcomed in and in turn welcomed us. ours wasnt an appeal to wealthier neighborhoods to come slum it out in safe confines.
we were a hub for lexington& #39;s activists & proud of what we had built. and also, again, still very broke.
so, again, our little store with a full kitchen & espresso machine that sold mostly new books tapped out after 3 years. (tho later owned by activists turned co-op)
so, again, our little store with a full kitchen & espresso machine that sold mostly new books tapped out after 3 years. (tho later owned by activists turned co-op)
i will likely die still in deep, serious debt to several agencies. pensions & all financial savings were sunk into this vision... it was so amusing to have our most privileged supporters suggest "why not just go to a bank and get a 2 or 300,000 dollar loan" 
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...
"ok."
but the new store made it for 3 solid years. we were seeing growth, but alas our mounting debts had to be addressed. ive often felt like giving up was a mistake, that we shouldve continued struggling to the bitter, bitterest end...
and this pandemic certainly wouldve done us in.
and this pandemic certainly wouldve done us in.
id like to thank my true love, @CrystalWilki for not just this entrepreneurial drive we shared but for for everything we share in life
thank you to the dozen or so baristas we had over the 3 years—we love & appreciated all of you—even you @blacksunshineis ybasoab.
thank you to the dozen or so baristas we had over the 3 years—we love & appreciated all of you—even you @blacksunshineis ybasoab.
thank you to all of our local ride-or-dies & day‐ones who always had our backs and to all of lexington.
special shout outs to the new yorkers and oregonians who traveled miles just to support us in annual pilgrimage—that was massive!
xoxo
special shout outs to the new yorkers and oregonians who traveled miles just to support us in annual pilgrimage—that was massive!
xoxo
i feel like i have one more good run in me, though it is unlikely itll ever happen again. not at least w/o partnerships... but regardless, it was a good run. a short one, but hopefully we left just enough legacy for future black entrepreneurs to learn & build from.
and none of the new store wouldve happened had it not been for the spirit of our granddaughter, zaria. the old store had closed feb. 2015 and she passed from illness that april. she loved the old store and felt we owed it to her & what the store meant to her for us to try again
zaria, you are the greatest of all time
you are forever with us.
you are forever with us.