Support Paragon Book Gallery: Relief Fund

Dear Friends of Paragon Book Gallery,

The devastating effects of COVID-19 are being felt globally, and with the prolonged closure of our stores in China earlier this year, our new Chicago location needs your help. Since 1942, Paragon Book Gallery has served as an intercultural bridge, circulating humanities scholarship between the East and the West. Today, we are asking for your immediate financial support in order to continue maintaining our mission of distributing knowledge and creativity across borders. 

In February,  we formally re-opened our doors in the United States. Our Grand Opening at the Zhou B Art Center in Bridgeport, Chicago, was a bittersweet occasion; we were ecstatic to open a new physical space to showcase our books and serve our customers, yet also anxious as the coronavirus began to spread in China. The initial investment required for reestablishing a brick-and-mortar bookstore has been immensely costly, and with the global pandemic closing our storefronts first in Beijing and now in Chicago, we are in urgent need of your help.

We strive towards preserving our founders’ legacy of promoting intercultural understanding and appreciation. Founded in Shanghai by Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution in Germany and Austria, Paragon Book Gallery initially introduced European classics to the Chinese market. In 1948, our founders, Max and Rachel Faerber, moved the bookstore to New York City, stocking their shelves with books on the art and culture that they missed in China and could not find in the United States. Since then, Paragon Book Gallery has prioritized the global circulation of printed material on art, literature, philosophy, history, human geography, and religion, among other genres. Our mission has always been to build a cross-cultural connection through books, thereby promoting a more harmonious world. 

Your donation will ensure that Paragon Book Gallery can continue its humble stewardship. The funds raised from this campaign will go directly towards the immediate expenses of operating our bookstore in Chicago. Our new storefront encourages readers to spend time browsing and discovering the vast range of topics our unique collection has to offer. By maintaining a welcoming storefront and offering books at multiple price points, we want to ensure that this knowledge is accessible for all readers. We are confident that, with your help, Paragon Book Gallery will continue to inspire and inform readers for many years to come.

This fundraising campaign is just one way to show your support. If you can, please continue to order books, peruse our blog, and follow us on social media. Please share this message with your friends and families, so we can continue to serve our Chicago readers as well as our larger international community.

Your support has championed Paragon Book Gallery for nearly 80 years. Thank you for your loyalty throughout our long history. We deeply appreciate your generosity and encouragement during these exceedingly difficult times.


With sincere gratitude,
Paragon Book Gallery

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