- Credibility:
NORTH LAWNDALE — The Pay What You Want Bookstore is setting up shop in North Lawndale to give residents a chance to buy books at any price, even for free, for a third year.
The bookstore will be open 2-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays April 1-15, as well as 4-6 p.m. April 21 and 28 in a converted shipping container, 2601 W. Douglas Blvd.
The store is part of a partnership between Open Books’ North Lawndale Reads initiative and the Lawndale Pop-up Spot, a museum inside the shipping container.
The bookstore started in 2021 to promote literacy in children, particularly those at the third-grade level. Chelsea Ridley, project director of North Lawndale Reads, said the third-grade reading benchmark is a key focus as some children begin to read less after that stage.
Ridley said she hopes the bookstore can become permanent.
“We want to make sure that both children and adults have access to high-quality books in the neighborhood,” Ridley said. “Children often mimic what their parents are doing, and so it’s important that kids see older people are reading.”
The organization has bookstores in the West Loop, Logan Square and Pilsen.
Listen to “It’s All Good: A Block Club Chicago Podcast”:
