VANCOUVER -- One of Canada's oldest independent bookstores may be forced to close because of financial difficulties it's facing during the pandemic.

The People's Co-op Bookstore on Commercial Drive had been closed for six weeks because of COVID-19. In recent weeks, however, the store has been open for select hours and now the operators of the shop are reaching out to the public for support.

A GoFundMe page has been launched to help raise money for the bookstore, which had already been facing financial challenges prior to the pandemic, according to the fundraiser. So far, the campaign has raised nearly $8,000 since it was launched a week ago, and it hopes to raise $75,000 in total in a campaign nicknamed "75 for 75."

"We have such deep roots in Vancouver, having been around for 75 years," says Laurel McBride, chair of the bookstore's co-op board, adding that individual donations to the campaign have ranged from $5 to $2,000 and come from both local and international donors. "We're so encouraged by the response from the community."

The shop was founded in 1945 by political and labour activists, and this summer marks its 75th anniversary. The fundraising page outlines where the money will go, which includes urgent financial needs, as well as plans for the future, such as renovations, expanding inventory, and enhancing its online presence.

"We decided to launch the campaign in order to kind of address the immediate crisis that we're in financially and to make it through 2020," McBride says. "But we also saw it as an opportunity to build on the next 75 years of our future and build up capacity to make that a reality."

The shop is also offering co-op membership discounts for people who donate $20 or more.

"Sales had been improving—an encouraging sign—but not enough to cover our monthly expenses," the GoFundMe page says. "The month before COVID-19 struck, we organized a series of meetings to examine the future of the business. And then the pandemic hit, forcing us shut. Now, to put it mildly, we really need your help."

The store hopes to meet its fundraising goal by its anniversary on June 27, and donations can be made online or in-store. The shop is also encouraging people to donate used books to the shop.

"We have laid off one staff member, and the rent is unpaid. We have come close to shutting down before and are hoping through this fundraiser to avoid such an outcome," the fundraising page says.

Since its full closure, the store has reopened on weekends with limited operating hours and only five customers allowed inside at once.