St.  Mark’s Bookshop on the Lower East Side was saved, at least temporarily.

An increase in rent would have forced the iconic bookshop and literary performance space to close down.

Their landlord, Cooper Union, had originally increased their rent to $20,000 per month. St. Mark’s had asked that to be lowered to $15,000 and when Cooper Union refused, an organizing campaign was launched on the bookshop’s behalf.

As a result (one supposes) of the campaign, their new rent was set $17,500 for one year (though after a year, it will presumably go up to the $20,000 that St. Mark’s could not afford in the first place) and their unpaid back rent was forgiven.

Let’s hope that they keep going. You might consider purchasing a book from them, though, in order to help keep them alive. I bought this one.