LOS ANGELES, CA – Del Howison opened Dark Delicacies with his wife Sue 25 years ago. Their store on Burbank’s Magnolia Boulevard is actually their third location.
- Guillermo Del Toro helps save horror bookstore
- Rent raised more than $1,000 per month
- $30,000 raised so far
“We’ve been in this spot nine years and we’re getting ready to move along to another one," said Howison.
The horror bookstore is just one of an eclectic collection of mom and pops in Magnolia Park. As the area carved out a niche and a name for itself, foot traffic increased and eventually so did the rent, driving some of those businesses out.
“The sense of neighborhood is disappearing," Howison said. "That’s a shame.”
His own rent was set to jump more than $1,000 a month so he began looking for a new spot. Howison eventually found a spot, just around the corner, but no longer on Magnolia. The new space is roughly the same size and the rent is actually cheaper, but it needs a lot of work and that requires a lot of money.
Friends kept pushing Howison to start a GoFundMe campaign. At first, he was reluctant.
"It almost feels like, 'give me a handout'," Howison said.
However, he and his wife ultimately decided to give it a try. In an unexpected plot twist, several high profile fans shared the link, including award-winning director and writer Guillermo Del Toro.
“He decided to jump in and use his notoriety to kind of spread the word," Howison said.
Within days, they had exceeded their goal, raising over $30,000 so far.
“We were surprised. We were gob smacked," Howison said. "And in our own private time, we were kind of tearful.”
As for his own shop, Howison is ready to begin a new chapter, thanks to the generosity of his fans.
“We couldn’t be more grateful," Howison said. "Unbelievably grateful that such a group of people cared that much."