Coming to Chicago: Open Books

What a tremendous concept: used bookstore on the ground floor, literacy center upstairs. And all of it not for profit.

Open Books is Chicago's first nonprofit literacy bookstore. Founded in September 2006 and scheduled to open in spring 2008 at 1449 S. Michigan Ave., it will be a funky, fun, colorful, and eccentric used treasure trove of 50,000+ used books on the first floor, with all proceeds funding unique adult and family literacy programs upstairs.

The idea for Open Books came from its team's lifelong passion for books and reading. After years of separate experience in PR, marketing, creative direction, and startup companies, friends Stacy Ratner and Becca Keaty decided to devote their entrepreneurial energies to the cause closest to their hearts.

This is really a wonderful project to get involved in -- they're looking for both donors (of books and cash) and volunteers. Time Out Chicago has a great feature article on the store here.

(Via Bookslut.)