The Community Bookstore may have inspired this blossoming of community activism on behalf of another independent bookseller.

In this case, the store doesn’t exist yet but people in Ft. Greene are rallying behind Jessica Stockton Bagnulo (aka The Written Nerd) to help her open a shop soon. They’re even planning this bookstore Kickoff Event on September 16.

It’s a movement. Not only do Brooklynites organize to protect and support a beloved literary institution but they also organize to make a new one happen!

Last year the Fort Greene Association’s retail committee surveyed 380 locals about their shopping preferences. 75 percent of respondents (281) cited bookstores as a category in which they wanted more choices.

To meet this need, the Fort Greene Indie Bookstore Initiative (FGIBI) embarked on a campaign to find an independent bookstore. After months of talking with Brooklyn-based bookstores, the group met Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, a Brooklyn entrepreneur who won the 2007 Brooklyn Public Library PowerUp! Competition for her business plan to open a bookstore in Fort Greene.

To raise community awareness and rally support for Jessica’s independent bookstore, FGIBI is hosting an event in Fort Greene at the Cumberland Greene (237 Cumberland Ave) on September 16, 2008 from 7pm to 9pm. The event will feature local Brooklyn authors. Complimentary beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres from local businesses will also be served. RSVP required; email rsvp_fortgreeneindie@hotmail.com to be added to the guest list.