About this project

We met our $10,000 goal, which means no matter what happens, everyone who pledges gets their reward and we get that precious, precious funding. There's no cap to how much money we can raise. We hit the minimum, but there's no limit to this thing except the public's generosity.

Here are some of the improvements your pledges from this point forward will contribute to:

• Larger, more complete inventory
• Quicker start to social programs
• Extra rewards for backers
  
• Improved construction -- higher quality, more attractive shelving, flooring, ceiling, etc.
• Actual payment for contractors and artists -- I can pay them in cash instead of in Papa John's and PBR!
• Preview day extravaganza -- we can make the backer-only preview day a real event to remember: catering, homemade baked goods from Piebird, and, if we raise enough, an open bar
• Upgraded technology -- credit card processors (instead of cash-only), more robust back-end tech, and (eventually) online sales
• And most importantly, wiggle room -- we won't start out completely strapped for cash, which allows us to be more experimental, to branch out more and try new things right out of the gate instead of worrying about making the first few months' rent

Uncharted Books is coming to Chicago's Logan Square!

We're an independent used bookstore specializing in literature, vintage classics, queer and gender studies, and local interests. We host open salons for writers, storytellers, artists, and students. We encourage browsing, loitering, chit-chatting, socializing, drinking, eating, writing, working, hanging out, and staying in. We want to be your bookstore – Logan Square’s, the north side’s, and Chicago’s.

We're leasing a 1300 square foot space on Milwaukee Avenue near an independent movie theater, coffee shops, cafes, and vintage stores. The space itself will be modeled after London's Sir John Soane's House – a cozy, Old World European-style salon that the Guardian calls "A crazy labyrinth of art, architecture and history."

(Photo courtesy of Luke Robinson)

The storefront is intended not only to be a bookstore but a haven for writers and artists, providing a comfortable lounge (with Wi-Fi and plentiful outlets) and hosting regular community events to encourage reading, writing, and sharing. If you want to hone your skills, get back in the habit of writing, or simply enjoy stories that can be found nowhere else, Uncharted will be your new favorite getaway.

We will also be working with local charities and literacy projects. We donate our overstock to Open Books, and we are working with the Logan Square's Alderman and Chamber of Commerce to participate in as many local events, organizations, and charities as we can get our grubby little hands on.

And we need your help.

We've signed a lease on the perfect storefront in the heart of Logan Square: north of the traffic circle on Milwaukee Avenue, right across from the Logan Blue Line stop.

Right now, it looks like this:

See that hole in the ceiling? The crappy walls and floors? The decided lack of bookshelves?

We have contractors, woodworkers, and local artists raring to go, but we need some help from you to come up with the money for materials. We need to raise money for startup costs and starting our social programs. This will enable us to guarantee an opening date and a larger, more complete inventory.

Both Kickstarter and Uncharted are all about local community. If you're a backer, we want to know you! If you live in Chicago, we'd love to meet you in real life. You should send us an email, talk to us on Twitter or Facebook, and tell your friends about this project.

Thanks for getting involved! We can't wait to meet you!