We were
in the process of trying to address the issue of back taxes that was
inherited by the new management when NYS Department of Taxation and
Finance chose to seize the assets. We are currently negotiating with
them to have the space reopened and I am confident we will be
successful.

What is so frustrating is that Vox Pop is on its way
to becoming the space we truly want it to be. We have consistent
programming that includes music, spoken word, art events, independent
film screenings, comedy and book readings. We have a children's story
hour on Wednesday morning and Sing-a-longs on Monday afternoon and
regular children's dinner concerts.

And, we do all of this for free, providing the community with the space to meet and study and work and organize and play.

We
have also partnered with many of the not-for-profit organizations to
support their fundraising efforts and have offered our space, our
coffee, our music connections to assist in those efforts. We do food
drives and gift drives to benefit the local shelters.

Now, we
are once again faced with a problem that was not of our making, but one
we assumed out of a sense of what is right as a responsible community
space.

Since we have reopened we have been actively paying
down much of that inherited debt. We chose to use our limited resources
to pay the people who needed it most first — like back pay for our
employees who are all members of this community, monies owed to local
vendors to help keep them in business, monies owed for back rent, old
utilities bills — while paying our current bills and meeting our
obligations.

Since reopening, we have also been faced with one
unexpected calamity after another; including a water main break that
damaged the physical structure of the space as well as destroying
equipment stored there, had to rewire the entire electrical system,
address several major plumbing issues, and replaced much of the
restaurant equipment. As anyone who has purchased an old house will
tell you, no matter how much you think you’ve looked in every corner,
from foundation to the roof, there are always problems you didn’t know
about until you actually move in. Eventually, you get it all sorted and
it becomes the beautiful home you want. But until then, it’s always a
bit of a leap of faith.

Basically, we not only inherited debt,
we spent a great deal of money just to get the place up to code. These
were all things that I certainly did not anticipate when we chose to
reopen Vox Pop as a community owned space. As I said then, I don't know
what I don't know, but this space is too important to lose it now.

What
makes Vox Pop so special? We are not just a coffee shop, we have become
a true community space that supports itself with the sale of coffee.

You
can help Vox Pop by becoming a member. For $40 you will recieve the
newly published book, "Voices of Vox Pop", which tells the story of Vox
Pop through a collection of stories, poems and art by the Vox Pop
community, and a membership card that entitles you to free coffee
refills for 6 months.

We appreciate all of the support that
the community has shown us and continues to show us and welcome any
fundraising ideas to help us over this hurdle.

I can be reached at debi@voxpopcafe.com