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Longtime Minneapolis Mystery Bookstore Turns To GoFundMe To Stay Open

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A longtime mystery bookstore in south Minneapolis has turned to crowdfunding to keep the business up and running.

The owners of Once Upon A Crime, a 31-year-old staple on West 26th Street in the city's Whittier neighborhood, started a GoFundMe page on Monday asking for donations.

once upon a crime
(credit: GoFundMe)

The goal was set at $50,000. By Thursday, it'd reached nearly $12,000.

The owners bought the mystery bookshop two years ago and say it's currently facing financial difficulties. Sales are down and the closest street-side parking on 26th Street has been replaced with a bike lane.

On top of that, the lot across the street is under significant construction, making parking even more difficult in the busy area off of Lyndale Avenue.

With the support of donations, the owners say they'll make changes to the business, such as significant online expansion, in hopes of making it sustainable.

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