After a devastating fire incinerated Yu & Me Books in 2023, the shop was forced to operate out of a temporary site—until now!
Yu & Me Books was not only a beloved community staple, but broke history as what’s believed to be the first female Asian-American NYC based bookstore. The shop specifically amplifies Asian American authors, as well as immigrant writers and people of color.
The 2023 fire was started by the apartment above the store and tarnished $60,000 worth of books and equipment. After the incident, a GoFundMe page raised more than $300,000 in just a few days to help owner Lucy Yu.
Since then, Yu has been operating out of a temporary relocation. However, as announced to Instagram, Yu & Me Books will officially reopen in its original Chinatown location at 44 Mulberry Street on January 28th.
“We are so excited to welcome you all back to our Yu & Me Books home 🏡 on 44 Mulberry St back in Chinatown ❤️ We can’t wait to shed tears, laugh loudly, and open our hearts with all of you who have made us feel at home. See yu all soon!,” shared the Instagram post caption from Yu & Me Books.
Though Yu and her employees faced many tribulations in the months following the fire, “[they] can’t help but marvel at the beauty that [they’ve] lived through during this time. Beauty is rarely separate from pain and in this case, it cannot be celebrated in isolation. So [they] accept and love [their] story in its fullness while holding [their] arms wide to accept the many nuances of [their] experience.”
The grand re-opening will run from 11am – 7pm on Sunday, January 28th at 44 Mulberry Street.