Bookstore ‘at a critical juncture.’ Can a week of special events save it?

Big things are coming to Wild Fig Books and Coffee, including weekly workshops, monthly comedy shows and a possible re-location.

But first, Kentucky’s only black-owned bookstore must survive the summer.

To do that, Wild Fig co-founder April Taylor has planned an impressive slate of events for next week. Those events will, she hopes, increase traffic and generate enough profit for the co-op to enter a more advantageous financial agreement in the near future.

Next week’s scheduled events include an open mic night for comedy and then poetry on Friday, August 2, a premiere screening for the documentary “Hemp State” on August 3, a launch party for Lexington author Mariama J. Lockington’s novel “For Black Girls Like Me” on August 4, and several other book signings and workshops throughout the coming week.

“Whether you’re someone who likes to interact socially or not, there are things you can be involved in (at Wild Fig),” Taylor said. “We’re definitely a hub for community organizing and community activity. We’re a way to plug into what’s going on in the pulse of the community.”

Taylor and other co-op members have invested plenty of time and money into the continued success of Wild Fig, which has had a tumultuous financial history.

The first incarnation of Wild Fig in Meadowthorpe closed in 2015. Later that year, then-owners Crystal Wilkinson and Ronald Davis re-opened the business at 726 North Limestone. In 2018, the pair announced that Wild Fig would once again be closing its doors to the public. The store was subsequently bought for $25,000 and transitioned to a worker cooperative with stakeholders now participating in the business’s decision-making process.

Wild Fig still stands on North Limestone, where many of its troubles continue. Taylor’s goal is to relocate to a larger space where programming and inventory may be expanded. First, though, a deal involving delayed loan payments must be brokered — and fast, if the Wild Fig is to remain open.

But members of the co-op have not lost hope. According to Taylor, many of the store’s members have worked unpaid for months to keep the Fig’s doors open.

“I would encourage (people to visit) sooner rather than later,” Taylor said. “We’re at a critical juncture where, if people don’t go ahead and come in, if they’re more in love with the idea of our existence than actually supporting us, we may not be able to go on and still be here.”

If you go: Wild Fig Books and Coffee

Where: 726 North Limestone

▪ DD Rainbow’s Comedy Connections on Friday, August 2 from 6 to 8 p.m., where comedian DD Rainbow will host an open mic night. Admission is free.

▪ Peace & Poetry open mic night on Friday, August 2 from 8 to 10 p.m., where visitors are invited to step up to the mic and “speak their peace,” be it through poetry or otherwise. Admission is free.

▪ A weekly self-discovery workshop on Saturday, August 3 from 2 to 4 p.m., led by Vishuddha Muwanga. Admission is free.

▪ The premiere screening of the documentary “Hemp State” exploring the roots of hemp farming in Kentucky on Saturday, August 3 at 6 p.m., followed by a panel discussion featuring farmers and entrepreneurs from the film at 7 p.m. Admission is $5.

▪ The launch party for Lexington author Mariama J. Lockington’s debut middle-grade novel “For Black Girls Like Me,” including a question and answer session, book signing and sweets on Sunday, August 4 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

▪ A community drumming session led by Joan Brannon of DrummingWorks on Wednesday, August 7 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.

▪ A weekly meeting of Drag Queen Story Time on Saturday, August 10 at 11 a.m., where a drag queen will read aloud from a book while customers are invited to enjoy a baked good or a drink. Admission is free.

▪ A live reading and book signing hosted by author Angela K. Crow (“Beyond Yourself: A Spiritual Awakening,” “Quiet Moments: Mornings with the Holy Spirit”) on Saturday, August 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. Admission is free.

▪ A live reading and book signing hosted by fantasy author Alan W. Hounshell (“In the End,” “Ancestry: Awakenings”), AKA Cullen Kit Alexander, on Saturday, August 10 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, but a limited number of copies of his novels will be available for purchase.

▪ The Back to School Clothing Swap on Sunday, August 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., where participants may bring freshly washed, gently used clothing to trade with other visitors. Admission is free.