Fans saved this KC-area bookstore and are helping it turn to a new chapter
When it became clear that the storefront KD’s Books has long occupied in downtown Lee’s Summit was no longer a viable option for the business, Nicole Perne put out a call for help.
Under new landlords, rent for the business’s Main Street space was set to climb. She and her mom, Tina Perne, who took over the store in 2022, had found a new home for KD’s Books just down the street, one where expenses were a little more doable. But paying for a new space and moving costs were just too big of a bill for the business to handle all at once.
They turned to their loyal customers, wondering if they might help by chipping in to make the move possible. The Pernes just couldn’t bring themselves to close the store, at least not without exhausting every other option first.
Nicole established a GoFundMe page and waited.
“We know how much KD’s Books means to many of you; we have so many families that have been shopping here since it opened 35 years ago,” she wrote to the store’s community in early March.
The response was a swell of support: In about 48 hours, the fundraiser pulled in 80% of its $15,000 goal and soon reached its target. Customers flocked to the store offering hugs and kind words.
“It was so fast,” Nicole said. “So many people on top of donating, so many people came in that weekend, even just to shop and (ask), ‘Hey, how are you doing? What’s going on? How can we help?’ (and) volunteer to help us move.
“I’m not sure I could have made it work without doing that,” she said. “We have been doing really well overall the last few years, better than I had expected, even, but we were looking at a security deposit, first month’s rent, of course, when you move into a new place. Trying to pay that on top of current expenses, there’s just no cash reserve for most bookstores.”
Thanks to the flood of community support, moving plans have kicked into gear. The store will stick around at 241 SE Main St. for Indie Bookstore Day on April 25 and the start of the Missouri Indie Bookshop Tour, which kicks off that day. Eventually KD’s Books move out in mid-May to a new home a short distance down the road at 207 SE Third St., close to City Hall and the new Green Street Market space.
Cheryl Collier established KD’s Books in town in 1990, and the business has long occupied its current home on Main Street. The Pernes took over the store a few years ago and are now flipping the page to the business’s next chapter thanks to a loyal base of customers.
“We have so many regulars that just want to come in and talk,” Nicole said. “It’s fun when we will introduce them to each other sometimes, and I’ll see them going out to coffee, and they become friends. It’s kind of just a place where people connect.”
