Amoeba Records, a California-based record store with locations in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, has launched a Go Fund Me campaign in an effort to raise $400,000 to avoid permanently shutting down over the coronavirus outbreak.
Since the crowdfunding campaign began on Monday (April 20), the company has raised just over $100,000 of its goal. Over the last three decades, Amoeba stores have welcomed live performances from the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello and Patti Smith, and helped break acts such as Gary Clark Jr. and Anderson .Paak, among others.
Founded by Marc Weinstein and David Prinz in 1990, Amoeba grew from a small record store on Berkeley’s famed Telegraph Avenue, to a location in San Francisco that opened in 1997, and Hollywood Amoeba, which opened in 2001.
“We have weathered many storms — 9/11, recessions, the internet, downloading and streaming. But we don’t know that we can weather the COVID-19 storm,” the company said in a statement on their Go Fund Me page.
After Amoeba stores closed in mid-March, the company has depleted its savings and hopes to raise money for expenses including payroll for 400 employees, and potentially moving to a new building in Hollywood this fall.
“We’re exploring every possible means of support, including federal and local grants and loans. But these funds are not guaranteed to come in, and they won’t meet the needs of our short-term future. So, we most humbly ask for your help,” the statement continues. “We know that this is a very difficult and uncertain time for everyone, and we understand that there are many individuals and organizations in need.”