Harriet’s Bookshop: Where Every Page Breathes Connection

Harriet’s Bookshop: Where Every Page Breathes Connection

In the heart of Philadelphia, a literary haven stands as a testament to the power of curated experiences and the beauty of shared connections. Harriet’s Bookshop, founded by the visionary Jeannine Cook, goes beyond the conventional bookstore archetype. The moment one steps inside, they are enveloped in an immersive journey—a sanctuary interwoven with narratives, history, and the echoes of societal change.

In 2022, Cook appeared on and was interviewed on the Kelly Clarkson Show, and described her store in the following way, “And when you walk in, you’re literally inside of a book,” (Harriet’s Bookshop on Facebook.com). These words encapsulate the very essence of the space—a convergence of curated pages, art, and purpose. Every element, every single thing that catches your eye is meticulously arranged, put there for a reason, and reflects a deliberate intent to foster connection and exploration of the stories portrayed in the books on display.

The inception of Harriet’s and the space that it would end up being wasn’t just a dream realized; it was a journey marked by challenges and creativity. Jeannine Cook drew upon her resourcefulness that she had developed from years of teaching and making classrooms out of any space she was provided, with anything she could get her hands on. In an interview with Cook from Take Creative Control, Cook talked about how initially overwhelming it was when she first entered the blank canvas that would become Fishtown’s literature sanctuary. She was met with blank purple and green walls and broken floor, but still persevered, “I had to visualize what it could be…it was just not right. But I was like ‘Ok, I can make it work’ cuz, like, I’ve had classrooms that were in old closets. So I was like ‘We can change this around, we can make it work,” (Take Creative Control, “Owning Our Own Spaces”). 

The outcome of her resourcefulness, akin to her role model and inspiration for the store herself, Harriet Tubman, created a space intentionally open, inviting visitors to wander through shelves that aren’t just filled with books but infused with a story—a story of activism, art, and social progress. “‘I needed a certain kind of space, and if you come into the bookshop you can feel the kind of bookshop it is. It’s not crowded–I like space,’” (Take Creative Control).

As the door swings open when you first cross the threshold of the giant black and white sign adorning the front of the shop, a perfect picture of pages unfolds before you. The room is a canvas brought straight out of the pages of a book, the walls adorned with the black outlines reminiscent of drawings and illustrations. There’s a small reading nook moving further inside, and you notice that every single item and furniture piece, from the chairs to the doors, exudes meticulous detail. Art from community artists find a home on the shelves alongside the books, whose covers are works of art, themselves.

Image taken from @ciciadams on TikTok

Turning to your immediate right, your gaze is drawn to one of many quotes from famous authors painted onto the walls, each exuding wisdom and insight. Nestled within these celebrated words, the poignant presence of the poem “American Heartbreak” by Langston Hughes adds a layer of emotional resonance to the atmosphere.

"I am the American Heartbreak–
The rock on which freedom stumped its toe–
The great mistake that Jamestown made
Long Ago" - Langston Hughes, "American Dream: 1619"

Continuing into the store you notice the books living on the shelves, a continuing rotation of different authors and titles throughout the months. The emphasis is unmistakably on Black women authors, their names boldly emblazoned, their faces adorning book covers and framed portraits on the walls, evoking a profound sense of recognition and celebration. The unique aspect of Harriet’s lies not only in its collection of books but in its curated experience.

Cook characterizes Harriett’s as a fusion of a bookstore, an art gallery, and a monument, where renowned works by Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Zora Neale Hurston are consistently showcased. However, the inventory undergoes monthly transformations resembling curated exhibitions, meticulously aligned with the store’s merchandise and interior design. Each month, a thematic focus emerges, such as the recent emphasis on reparations, featuring books like Olúfẹmi O. Táíwò’s “Reconsidering Reparations,” Michael Albertus’s “Property Without Rights,” and Natalie Baszile’s “We Are Each Other’s Harvest.” The aim is to foster a shared language and actionable steps toward new ideas by month-end (OprahDaily.com).

Pictured to the right is a tweet from the shop’s official twitter showcasing some of the books currently available that go with the shop’s current them of “Reparations”.

These spaces transcend mere retail; they are immersive experiences and reflections of the world envisioned by Cook, demonstrating its significance and worth. Visitors on Sundays enjoy perusing the shelves while a live choir fills the air with some of Harriet Tubman’s beloved spirituals. In January, local musician Veronica Hudson mesmerized patrons with vibraphone melodies within the store. The store’s basement, named the “underground,” offers a unique browsing experience—a dimly lit room navigated by candlelight, paying homage to ancestors who had to conceal their reading. There are also designated days for silent browsing, inviting contemplative engagement with the literature (OprahDaily.com).

The cubed shelves at Harriet’s – Image taken from Penguinrandomhouse.com

These displays aren’t just collections of books; they are thematic focuses that prompt dialogue, action, and enlightenment. Recent months have seen an emphasis on reparations, where patrons engage in a dialogue that is both enlightening and actionable. The shelves at Harriet’s house more than just books; they are adorned with colorful and meaningful clutter that seem to transcend the typical image of what a “bookshelf” can be. Lydia Pyne describes a bookshelf as follows, “Every bookshelf has its own unique life history…[it] speaks for its own cultural context. Bookshelves are dynamic, iterative objects that cue us to the social values we place on books and how we think books ought to be read,” (Pyne, 2). The way Harriet’s shows its books perfectly captures what a bookshelf should do; they draw you in with their unique hand-drawn appearance, but never take away from the Prescence of the books themselves. The cubed shelves act almost like frames showcasing art in a museum, as Cook has compared the shop to before, (Pyne, Bookshelf).

Harriet’s transcends the role of a mere bookstore; it’s an experience, a cultural exploration. Sundays resonate with the soulful harmony of live choirs, paying homage to Harriet Tubman’s spirit. Local musicians grace the space with melodies that enrich the collective experience of all who visit. Even the “underground” space, softly lit and candlelit, pays homage to ancestors who sought solace in hidden literacy, and payes symbolic homage to the hidden literacy of ancestors. It not only adds to the ambiance but stands as a silent tribute to resilience and the power of knowledge in the face of adversity. Within these walls, every book, every quote, every event, and every plant-covered nook isn’t just a decorative element—it’s a thread in the tapestry of connection that defines Harriet’s Bookshop. Jeannine Cook’s unwavering dedication to creating a space that blends literature, art, and history is the heartbeat that resonates through this haven for the curious, the seekers, and the dreamers.

The commitment to fostering connections and enriching lives goes beyond the tangible—serving as a sanctuary for shared understanding and a reflection of Cook’s aspirational world. Every event, every curated display, and every book finds a place in this mosaic of cultural celebration and intellectual dialogue. In essence, Harriet’s Bookshop stands not just as a space where books are sold but as a sacred ground where connections are forged, where societal narratives are interwoven, and where every visitor becomes part of a larger, collective journey through the human experience.


Resources

Butze, Olivia. “Libro.Fm Podcast – Episode 12: ‘Interview with the Owners of Harriett’s Bookshop.’” Libro.Fm Audiobooks, 27 Mar. 2023, blog.libro.fm/libro-fm-podcast-episode-12-interview-with-harriets-bookshop/#transcription.

“Harrietts Bookshop on Instagram: ‘Everything in the Shop Is 50% off (except the Rihanna Books-Stop Playing, You Know Those Aren’t 50% off) from 12-6 Pm. Today (June 30th) Is the Last Day to Shop at Harriett’s before We Close for the Summer to Build Josephine’s Bookshop in Paris. Our Sister Shop @idas_bookshop Will Remain Open in Collingswood and Your Harriett’s Gift Cards Will Be Honored There. We Are Still Open 24/7 Online and Available for Bulk Orders at Info@harriettsbookshop.Com.’” Instagram, www.instagram.com/p/CuHPL1GOO0d/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link. Accessed 1 Nov. 2023.

Harriett’s Bookshop Owner Jeannine Cook Says Connection Is at the Root …, www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/books/a39186848/jeannine-cook-harrietts-bookshop/. Accessed 2 Nov. 2023.

Harriett’s Bookshop Owner Jeannine Cook Says Connection Is at the Root …, www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/books/a39186848/jeannine-cook-harrietts-bookshop/. Accessed 2 Nov. 2023.

“Jeannine Cook of Harriet’s Bookshop on Owning Our Own Spaces.” YouTube, YouTube, 29 Dec. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=arWwie7TLz8&t=142s.

Login • Instagram, www.instagram.com/harrietts_bookshop/. Accessed 1 Nov. 2023.

Poitevien, Jessica. “This Philadelphia Bookstore Honors Harriet Tubman’s Legacy with Literature, Art, and Activism.” Travel + Leisure, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2022, www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/harrietts-bookshop-philadelphia.

Popova, Maria. “We Are the American Heartbreak: Langston Hughes on Race in a Rare Recording.” The Marginalian, 23 Sept. 2016, www.themarginalian.org/2016/09/23/american-heartbreak-langston-hughes-reads/.

Pyne, Lydia. Bookshelf. Bloomsbury Academic, 2019.

Sasko, Claire. “The Coolest Addition to Philly’s Indie Bookshop Scene Is Opening in Fishtown.” Philadelphia Magazine, Philadelphia Magazine, 17 Jan. 2020, www.phillymag.com/news/2020/01/17/harrietts-bookshop-fishtown/.

“Spotlight on Harriett’s Bookshop: Penguin Random House.” PenguinRandomhouse.Com, Penguin Random House, www.penguinrandomhouse.com/articles/harrietts-bookstore/. Accessed 1 Nov. 2023.

“Thank You Kelly Clarkson for the Opportunity to Share Our Story on Daytime Television. We Are Open Everyday from 12-6 Pm at 258 E. Girard Ave. in…: By Harriett’s Bookshop.” Facebook, www.facebook.com/harriettsbooks/videos/3218513215030689/. Accessed 1 Nov. 2023.

TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ciciadams_/video/7201164512177720619. Accessed 1 Nov. 2023.

Winberg, Michaela. “She Was Told Not to Open a Black-Owned Bookstore in Fishtown. She’s Doing It Anyway.” Billy Penn at WHYY, 17 Jan. 2023, billypenn.com/2020/01/18/she-was-told-not-to-open-a-black-owned-bookstore-in-fishtown-shes-doing-it-anyway/.

Cafe con Libros: Creating Community One Coffee at a Time

Cafe con Libros: Creating Community One Coffee at a Time

Nestled in the bustling borough of Brooklyn, New York lives a quaint bookstore with an important mission. That mission is to bring Black and Latinx feminist literature to the forefront of the neighborhood, creating a community that fosters love and acceptance. Community is at the center of all they do, whether it’s selling you a book or tote-bag, or making a cozy and safe space to enjoy a latte.

Storefront of Cafe Con Libros. Courtesy of brownstoner.com

Café con Libros opened in 2017 “amid doubts that a bookstore identifying itself as feminist could thrive” (Alcantara). Even amidst the turmoil, owner Kalima DeSuze was determined to make Café con Libros a community center that pushes the narratives of the underrepresented voices of Afro-Latina womxn.

Image by Priscilla Gaona.

While DeSuze makes it clear that community is everything to her and this business, a sense of tight knit community values is reflected in the overall attitude of the neighborhood. Café con Libros is located in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, though bordering it is the well-known neighborhood of Prospect Heights. Compass.com states that Crown Heights is “a diverse area bursting with energy and things to do.” Filled with local businesses, it is a “community oriented area where people still host block parties and greet friends from their stoops” (compass.com). Likewise, Prospect Heights “has long been known as an epicenter of racial and social convergence” (compass.com). It draws people in based on “its sense of community. Diverse communities have started and run businesses, congregated along the same blocks, and frequented the same shops for generations” (compass.com). It seems as though DeSuze, who grew up not far from the future location of Café con Libros, picked the right place to open a local, community and mission focused business targeting diverse audiences.

Implicitly or explicitly, most of our spaces are male-dominated and [Café con Libros] has to be, if I have any control, about women-and girls-identified folks.

Kalima DeSuze, Owner of Cafe con Libros

Demographically, Brooklyn is a majority black neighborhood. According to the US Census Bureau, in 2021 there was 32,494 Black/African American individuals living in the borough, compared to 25,209 individuals. Brooklyn also has a majority of female identifying individuals, coming out at 32,974 to 29,236. This is of course excluding a portion of the community who no doubt identify outside of the gender norms. However, what this data does make clear is that Café con Libros is perfectly situated in a majority black and female neighborhood, making it the ideal location for a black feminist bookstore.

A popup greets you as soon as you go onto Café con Libros’ website. It says: “Why a Feminist Bookstore? ‘You have to git men off your eyeball before you can see anything a’tall.’ Alice Walker, The Color Purple.”

Image by Priscilla Gaona.

In DeSuze’s own words, “‘Implicitly or explicitly, most of our spaces are male-dominated and [Café con Libros] has to be, if I have any control, about women-and girls-identified folks’” (Bese.com). This isn’t simply about opening a niche store that caters to your neighborhood demographically, it’s about creating a place that doesn’t commonly exist, yet must. Tim Cresswell states in his book Place: a short introduction, “Place is also a way of seeing, knowing, and understanding the world. When we look at the world as a world of places we see different things. We see attachments and connections between people and place. We see worlds of meaning and experience” (Cresswell 11). Perhaps Café con Libros can be this “meaningful location” (Cresswell 7) for its neighborhood that connects people with their neighbors and shows them a new way of understanding.

It is at the very core of Café con Libros’ mission to serve their community and to build meaningful relationships and dialogue. If anything can be considered a “place,” Café con Libros certainly can. On their website, Café con Libros states that “One of our greatest endeavors is to be of service to our community: a place for growth, calm, healing and belonging.” They are aware of the significance of “place,” by using this intentional language to create the distinct imagery of community and safety. Moreover, they are undoubtedly succeeding, demonstrated by the testimonials on their website.

“Cafe Con Libros and its patrons have become one of my most cherished safe spaces. For a while now, I have been reckoning with shifts in friendships and craving community that shares my values. Cafe Con Libros and the WoC book club have satisfied that craving. Having the opportunity to engage in nuanced discussions about rich literature with other bookish folx has reminded me of the beauty and necessity of community.” -Melika Butcher

Café con Libros is perhaps the most dedicated business to fostering a community and engaging within that community that I have ever seen. Between their locally sourced pastries, their multiple book clubs, and their events that uplift other local businesses, womxn authors, and cultural events, Café con Libros is determined to make themselves a meaningful place to anyone who walks through their doors.

Works Cited

Alacantara, Amanda. “Meet the Owner of Cafe Con Libros, A Feminist Bookstore in Brooklyn.” Bese. 4 March, 2018. https://www.bese.com/meet-the-owner-of-cafe-con-librosa-feminist-bookstore-in-brooklyn/. Accessed 18 September, 2023.

Cafe con Libros. https://www.cafeconlibrosbk.com/. Accessed 18 September, 2023.

Claritas. 2023. https://claritas360.claritas.com/mybestsegments/#zipLookup. Accessed 18 September, 2023.

Cresswell, Tim. Place: A Short Introduction. Blackwell Publishing, 2004.

“Crown Heights.” Compass. https://www.compass.com/neighborhood-guides/nyc/crown-heights/. Accessed 18 September, 2023.

“Prospect Heights.” Compass. https://www.compass.com/neighborhood-guides/nyc/prospect-heights/. Accessed 18 September, 2023.

United States Census Bureau. https://data.census.gov/all?q=ZCTA5+11216. Accessed 18 September, 2023.

Images

Brownstoner. 19 Nov. 2021. https://www.brownstoner.com/brooklyn-life/crown-heights-bookstore-cafe-con-libros-724-prospect-place-feminist-bookclub-kalima-desuze/. Accessed 18 September, 2023.

Gaona, Priscilla. “Meet the Owner of Cafe Con Libros, A Feminist Bookstore in Brooklyn.” Bese. 4 March 2018. https://www.bese.com/meet-the-owner-of-cafe-con-librosa-feminist-bookstore-in-brooklyn/. Accessed 18 September, 2023.

Maps

Maps created by Janelle Cass using https://mymaps.google.com/.

“Coffee and Community, Coming Right Up!” How Cafe Con Libros Fights to Unite Crown Heights

“Coffee and Community, Coming Right Up!” How Cafe Con Libros Fights to Unite Crown Heights

The storefront of Cafe Con Libros, facing Prospect Place in Crown Heights. Image curtesy of Rolling Out.

Tucked behind a cozy curtain of sage, forest, seafood, and bottle green shades of ivy hangs the stark black and white sign of Crown Heights’ combined coffee and book shop, Cafe Con Libros. “BLACK, FEMINIST, & BOOKISH” the sign reads on weeks that follow a good hedge trimming. On weeks that don’t, it doesn’t seem to matter. All the shop’s customers already know what the big block letters spell. 

Cafe Con Libros is an intersectional feminist shop catered to, made for, and beloved by its Brooklyn neighborhood. There’s a homey and amicable sense of belonging emanating from its walls. As the Edinburgh academic Tim Cresswell describes in his book Place: A Short Introduction, there’s significance to this shop shaped by its locale and sense of place.

Sweet, nutty notes of espresso waft out the door as it swings open and shut. The windows display works written by women of all different bodies, backgrounds, and beliefs. Catchy coffeehouse tunes trickle out onto the street, harmonizing with the soft chatter of customers perusing the shelves. Locals gaze upon the rowdy road from cushy window seats, cupping warm mugs in their hands before returning to laptops, cracking open paperbacks, or scribbling on notepads.

Of course, this isn’t to say that geography doesn’t still play an insurmountable role in Cafe Con Libros’ sense of place. Most notably, the soft turquoise storefront stands on the frontlines of an uphill battle to unify an increasingly gentrified community. 

Between 2000 and 2015, the area saw a 23% decrease in Black residents and a 205% increase in White residents (“Observer”). The median rent shot up from $870 to $1230, according to a study conducted by NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy.

Though there is still a Black majority in Crown Heights, the popular has significantly shrunk over the past 20 years. More than a quarter of the neighborhood is now White. Graphic curtsey of NYC Health.
There is also a tremendous variety of wealth statuses in Crown Heights as a result of gentrification. Graphic curtsey of NYC Health.

Cafe Con Libros’ Afro-Latina owner Kalima DeSuze grew up a six-minute walk away from the shop, a place she says was once crowded with old community convenience stores and African hair-braiding spots that have all since disappeared. Gone is the mostly Black and low-income neighborhood she knew as a girl. In its place, a tense population divided by race and class now bustles around one another, unsure of how to make peace with and live together (“Fernández”).

Kalima DeSuze knows she played a role in the gentrification of her town with Cafe Con Libros. She told a local publication that coffeeshops are a classic marker for redlining, that one popping up is an immediate signal to residents that the neighborhood is “done for” (“Fernández”). However, DeSuze took this as a challenge to signal the opposite to her community with a bold selection of books. 

According to their website, the shop aims to “offer feminist texts for all personalities, political affiliations, temperaments, and tastes.” Their selection means to “represent as many identities as possible.” They even proudly offer selections for what they affectionately call their “baby, budding feminists.” Picture books and children’s toys take up the entire right-hand side of the window display, for all the new upscale families living nearby.

The left-hand window boasts Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You? and Lovely War by Julie Berry, but also features The Crunk Feminist Collection and The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae, attempting to fight the misconception DeSuze finds thrown around in her community far too often when presented with a feminist text: “Oh, that’s for white folk, that’s not for us” (“Fernández”).  

“I aim to bring the folks together who would normally not feel comfortable with one another. This is what I want to see […] I want to see multiple identities being comfortable sitting and hanging out with one another and connecting across differences.”
Kalima DeSuze, Owner of Cafe Con Libros (“Fernández”)

Bookstores today sell experiences as much as they do books and coffee, and DeSuze is using this to her advantage for community bulding. She cultivates a warm yet quaint space where people of various backgrounds can bump elbows while working, socializing, and reading. She personally welcomes in and welcomes back those who otherwise feel like they wouldn’t belong in a place like Cafe Con Libros. 

Prospect Place, the street where Cafe Con Libros is located in Brooklyn. Image curtesy of Chris Setter.

Early critics of the modern chain bookstore were critical of superstores being “better at promoting coffee drinking than an interest in ideas and the intellect,” as Laura J. Miller points out in Reluctant Capitalists: Bookselling and the Culture of Competition. However, socially conscious and intersectionality-minded shops like Cafe Con Libros show the obvious faults in this thinking with their feminist book clubs and late night readings. 

Kalima DeSuze created a shop with a sense of place, a store that embodied the colloquialism of the old neighborhood she grew up in. No matter if someone’s family has been in the neighborhood for generations or they just moved in last year, DeSuze makes it so that everyone has at least something in common when they enter the front door: they know the sign behind the overgrown ivy reads “BLACK, FEMINIST, & BOOKISH.”

The turnout for Cafe Con Libros’ book club meeting for Lab Girl by Hope Jahren. Image curtesy of Chris Setter.
Works Cited

“Cafe Con Libros.” Rolling Out, rollingout.com/places/cafe-con-libros/. Accessed 18 Sept. 2023. 

Fernández, Stacey. “This Afro-Latina’s Feminist Bookstore Is Building Community in Gentrifying Crown Heights.” Remezcla, 10 Mar. 2018, remezcla.com/features/culture/this-afro-latinas-feminist-bookstore-is-building-community-in-gentrifying-crown-heights/. 

Hinterland K, Naidoo M, King L, Lewin V, Myerson G, Noumbissi B, Woodward M, Gould LH, Gwynn RC, Barbot O, Bassett MT. Community Health Profiles 2018, Brooklyn Community District 8: Crown Heights and Prospect Heights; 2018; 32(59):1-20.

“Intersectional Feminist Bookstore: Cafe Con Libros: New York.” Cafe Con Libros, www.cafeconlibrosbk.com/. Accessed 18 Sept. 2023. 

“Portraits by Chris Setter.” NYC Photographer Chris Setter, www.chrissetter.com/. Accessed 18 Sept. 2023. 

“State of New York City’s Housing and Neighborhoods in 2018.” NYU Furman Center, 2018. 

Women & Children First: Deconstructing Women & Women First

You may have an easier time picturing  a true feminist bookstore by imagining the opposite of what you just saw. Many people have preconceived ideas of feminism that probably have a lot in common with the Women & Women First skit from Portlandia. The skit presents a narrow sort of feminism, one that caters to a specific kind of woman and excludes everyone else. It asserts rather than denies the idea that identity can be reduced to something basic and easily definable. In the show, the owners, Candace and Toni, are an amalgamation of stereotypes about feminists. They are often judgmental, angry, and dismissive of the lived reality of others, reinforcing common misconceptions about feminism, such as the idea that all feminists are lesbians, hate men, and represent an exclusionary culture.

While these tropes certainly makes for an amusing viewing experience, is this portrayal of a feminist bookstore accurate?

In the case of Women & Children First, a feminist bookstore located in Chicago, Illinois, it is anything but. Where the fictional Women & Women First excludes more people than it includes, W&CF invites a wide variety of people from different backgrounds into its space. This space affirms the experiences and values of a broad range of women and children. In a world where many of these experiences and values are frequently overlooked or outright rejected, this bookstore offers a safe space for those people who have traditionally not been allowed a voice.

This message of inclusivity and support, as well as a celebration of both the things that bring us together and the things that make us different, has been the mission of W&CF since the very beginning.

At W&CF, the staff take a wildly different approach from Toni and Candace. W&CF opened with the purpose “to promote the work of women writers and to create a place in which all women would find books reflecting their lives and interests” (P&W). When store ownership changed hands in 2014, the W&CF website was briefly updated to say that “the store may be changing hands, but it will not be changing heart” (Chicago Tribune).

That heart started beating in 1979.

W&CF opened in the late 70s, just as feminist bookstores were beginning to open across the United States. Part of a feminist academic discussion group, the two, (Christophersen and Bubon) realized that the local bookstores carried very little or no relevant literature. They noticed a hole in the book market for the emerging field of women’s studies. It was an opportunity not only to provide a valuable service, but also to create a new space that gave priority and voice to minorities in the writing world. Business was a little slow at first, but Linda credits the store’s success with a renaissance in women’s writing (P&W). As colleges and universities began to integrate women’s studies courses into the curriculum, more bookstores began to carry feminist texts.

Ann Christophersen on the left and Linda Bubon on the right.
Ann Christophersen on the left and Linda Bubon on the right.

Initially, women and children were Bubon and Christophersen’s priority for the bookstore, but in learning how to create a space for those who have little or none, they discovered their potential to create a space for all, resonant with the type of equality feminism represents. The opposite type of feminism is satirized on Portlandia in Women and Women First.

When their landlords changed and rent was set to be tripled, W&CF needed to change locations. The increase in business prioritized the need to move as well. However, the decision of where to relocate proved to be challenging. Luckily, Andersonville (a progressive community in Chicago) asked W&CF to move into their neighborhood. Bubon and Christophersen’s mission to create an equal space for those without had caught attention, and in a community where all were welcomed and embraced, W&CF found its current and final home.

From there, W&CF became an integral part of the Andersonville community, a place with many locally owned businesses and LGBTQ-friendly establishments. W&CF found it easy to make a home of Andersonville, expanding the store further a few years later after a neighboring craft store closed.

When W&CF first opened, and like many other feminist bookstores, they had a new market to fill. However, during the 90s changes in the book market (chain stores), the economy and the feminist movement saw the closing of many feminist bookstores (Hogan). Despite this, W&CF adapted to the changes, offering a wider range of books, while still remaining the same in its message—as a result, W&CF is one of thirteen remaining feminist bookstores in the United States (Paste Magazine). Surviving as one of the last stores, W&CF understands the importance of their customers and community, unlike in the Portlandia video below.

 

The clip from Portlandia shown above presents a bookstore with a very minimal connection to its surrounding neighborhood. Toni and Candace are actively discouraging potential customers from even approaching the storefront; it’s clear that the people they find outside of their bookstore are not the sort of customers that they desire. Toni and Candace are playing along with the stereotype that feminism is a narrow concept, one designed exclusively for one particular sort of person. This narrow conception of feminism has no room for the typical shopper. Women & Women First is isolated and obviously unwelcoming, but what is its real life counterpart, W&CF, and its neighborhood of Andersonville, like?

Andersonville neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois.
Andersonville neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois.

Despite stretching just 0.634 square miles, Andersonville is a tight-knit community. Today, the Chicago neighborhood is home to roughly 15,000 inhabitants, earning an average income of approximately $10,000 more than Chicago residents as a whole. (More statistics on this neighborhood can be found here). This increased amount of income helps to support the neighborhood’s many independent businesses, and attract many people from other states (30.7% of Andersonville residents have moved there from somewhere else in the U.S.).

These independent businesses are the heart of Andersonville, the glue that holds the community together. Run by actual residents of Andersonville, rather than large-scale corporate companies, these businesses work together and promote each other’s success, frequently banding together to organize neighborhood-wide activities. W&CF is a vital part of this neighborhood, a center of literature-based events and an excellent meeting place for many Andersonville residents.

In a neighborhood such as Andersonville, where new people from different backgrounds arrive frequently, there is a recognition and celebration of diversity, of the things that make us all unique. North Clark Street, the location of W&CF, is a good example of the many different options available in Andersonville.

In the southern end of the neighborhood, North Clark Street includes a variety of independent businesses, much like the rest of Andersonville; in addition to W&CF, this street hosts restaurants, furniture stores, and even a dance studio. The restaurants on North Clark Street, from a variety of different countries and cultures, embody the sense of inclusivity that the neighborhood, and W&CF, strives for: there is Reza’s, a Mediterranean and Persian restaurant, the Southern-style Big Jonesthe Polygon Cafe (a Thai kitchen and sushi bar), and Diamante Azul, a Mexican restaurant. These restaurants, all clustered together on a single street, represent the blending of cultures and people that can be found in Andersonville.

As one of only two bookstores in the neighborhood (the other is AlleyCat Comics, across the street), W&CF offers a unique physical space for all kinds of customers, no matter their background, to connect with literature, especially literature with a feminist focus. In this way the bookstore embodies an important feminist concept: intersectionality. Intersectionality, defined as “the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender” (OxfordDictionaries.com), acknowledges the importance of being open to the differences within everyone. Though W&CF values the experiences of women, they also value the experiences of many other types of people, no matter their class, race, or sexuality. W&CF offers a safe space for those who need one.

Along with this physical space, the bookstore dedicates much time and effort to hosting various events designed to draw in interested members of the community; these events include author readings, book launches, workshops, arts and crafts events, open mic nights, and a weekly story time hour for local children. The bookstore’s event calendar can be found here. These events reinforce W&CF’s connection to their surrounding community.

Through its many events, which bring members of the community together and offer new ways to interact with and connect to literature, W&CF provides what Laura J. Miller calls “community service” in her book Reluctant Capitalists; the bookstore “offer[s] a much-needed public space” for Andersonville residents to come together (122).

Along with its communal connection, the bookstore welcomes customers old and new into the store through its organization; unlike Women & Women First in the clip below, W&CF creates a space that gives people the chance to interact.

Looking at the organization of Women & Women First as a counterpoint to W&CF, we see the idea of a “personal” bookstore taken to its extreme. In this context, a personal bookstore means one based on the personality of its owner(s). In Women & Women First, the bookstore lacks logical organization, with books shelved based on the whim of the owners. This depiction of Toni and Candace plays on stereotypes of women as emotional, rather than rational beings. Instead of logically considering the intern’s suggestion that the store take up the standard practice of alphabetizing books by author’s last name, the two women react with aggression. Toni does not even allow the intern to finish shelving books, instead choosing to throw the volumes. These aggressive actions again play into stereotypical “angry” feminist behavior. In contrast to this fictional store, W&CF demonstrates a logical and considered organization that takes into account both business and feminist community space.

W&CF navigates a delicate balance between the business of books and the community of books, a disparity made visible simply by moving through the bookstore. Unlike Women & Women First, the staff uses rationalized sections, such as hardcover bestsellers and new & noteworthy titles. Indeed, much of the front section of the store is devoted to the fiction and nonfiction titles that generally sell in greater quantities than, say, queer horror (all the potential teens who may be looking for it aside). In another logical decision aimed at increasing sales, several displays of non-book goods sit directly to the left of the main entrance. These goods (cards, bookmarks, t-shirts emblazoned with the name of the store, etc.) are conveniently positioned for the sake of the casual browser or impulse buyer.

French philosopher Bruno Latour defines a thing as both a factual object and a “matter of concern,” whereas as an object only encompasses the realm of the factual (2288). Using this definition, Women & Women First, as a fictional bookstore, treats books as mere objects. Even in W&CF, some of the books function as objects, for instance the tables of bestsellers at the front of the store. The element of W&CF that paints a book as a thing rather than an object is community.

W&CF reflects the importance of community involvement through its use of space. One of the primary goals of the recent renovation was to create more room for community events. Prior to the remodel, most readings and events took place in the children’s section of the store. Staff would set out rows of folding chairs facing an elevated platform. Although the children’s section still occasionally becomes an event area, there is now a second community area, one that can either play host to folding chairs for a reading or a large table for an adult coloring book night, adult beverages included. While the owners of Women & Women First objected to the idea of a mixer, the staff at W&CF certainly would not.

W&CF owes its continued existence in part to the fact that it has remained cognoscente of the importance of physical space as well as claiming online space. Through events like feminist book clubs and Sappho’s Salon, in addition to simply stocking feminist titles, the store maintains a thriving public space for feminist discussion. This discussion continues online through active social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The bookstore also creates a space for the Andersonville community. Its multiple book groups include space for “QueerReaders,” “Family of Women,” and kids, in addition to the feminist and women’s book groups.

W&CF, unlike the stereotypes Toni and Candace are portraying in Women & Women First, does not draw lines to exclude any particular group. They are, in fact, trying to do the opposite, and are trying to blend all of these lines to create a space that all types of people can enjoy.

Toni and Candace from the television show Portlandia.
Toni and Candace from the television show Portlandia.

W&CF effectively does this on their online spaces as well—through their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. All of their online spaces try to interact with community and to bridge the gap between W&CF and the rest of the world.

So, what exactly does this blend between online space and physical space mean for W&CF?

Perhaps it is suggesting that W&CF functions culturally as an all inclusive, welcoming space, in all aspects of their store—and is keeping up with modern demands through their use of these online surfaces. By harboring this inclusive environment online, they are creating a space for those who cannot physically come to the bookstore to still be able to participate in all that the bookstore is trying to offer. Unlike Toni and Candace, they are not catering toward a specific type of woman or person, they are catering towards all.

W&CF seems to use their physical space as an extension of the books they carry, using it in order to create an area of equality, and understanding. As we saw through the videos, Women & Women First is doing quite literally the opposite of this—and is “trying” to be inclusive, but is actually creating a very exclusive space through the way they carry out their definition of “feminism.”

20110314140344320
The very real Women & Children First to the left, and the satirical “Women & Women First” on the right.

Looking at all W&CF is trying to accomplish, it seems their definition of feminism and of literature is much broader than just what is on the page. They are using literature as a center point of their mission. Feminism, simply put, is about equality—something that Toni and Candace are clearly not comprehending. Literature for W&CF becomes a tool to deconstruct the stereotypes that shows like Portlandia are placing on feminist bookstores. Through their relationship with their surrounding community, the books they carry, and the very open spaces in which they display them, and even their history as a bookstore, they combat each one of the stereotypes that Toni and Candace try to place on today’s feminist bookstores.

As one of the original owners, Linda Bubon, responds to the skits: “I like irreverent humor. I’ve always thought that feminists have a great sense of humor and are able to poke fun at the patriarchy. But I have to say, I think satire is at its best when it is the powerless making fun of the powerful. And so [for the TV show] to target a little independent bookstore—you sort of wince thinking there are so many people who’ve never visited a feminist bookstore and this is what they might actually think” (Kelley). Portlandia is making fun of one of the last remaining feminist bookstores in the US, which is evident by even their fictionally named “Women & Women First” bookstore. W&CF, through their definition of literature, are using their bookstore as a tool to remind us all that there is no one “correct” version of feminism.

These feminist bookstores are “a part of [an] endangered and crumbling infrastructure” (Mantilla, 50). This infrastructure provided women with a safe, physical space for consciousness-raising and activism. W&CF is trying to provide their community, as well as all communities, with this type of safe place. They have survived against the odds as one of the last remaining feminist bookstores.

W&CF will continue to fight back.

 

Sources

Images (In order of Appearance)

Newspaper Shot of Bubon and Christopherson. <http://chicago.gopride.com/entertainment/column/index.cfm/col/2212>

Andersonville Sign with People <http://previewchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/andersonville.jpg>

Toni and Candace (Portlandia) <http://images.amcnetworks.com/ifc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/toni-candace-best-moments.jpg>

Women & Children First Storefront <http://www.goindie.com/assets/images/user_images/2011/3/14/20110314140344320.JPG>

Women & Women First Storefront <http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/portlandia/images/a/ab/Women_%26_Women_First.png/revision/latest?cb=20140119173726>

Text

Hogan, Kristen. “Women’s Studies in Feminist Bookstores: “All the Women’s Studies Women Would Come In”.” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 33.3 (2008): 595-621. Web.

Latour, Bruno. “Why has critique run out?” The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Ed. Vincent Leitch. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2277-2293. Print

Mantilla, Karla. “Feminist Bookstores: Where Women’s Lives Matter.” Off Our Backs. Women and Culture. Vol. 37, Num. 2/3, 48-50. Print.

Thinglink Images

W&CF Entrance. <https://patriciaannmcnair.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/women-and-children-first1.jpg?w=640>

Window display. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfl1/v/t1.0-9/12814703_10153283545866338_4343474797026190231_n.jpg?oh=998719b031bcb966b465efad569c2228&oe=57938ADC>

Events board. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10405303_10153219879726338_7945255532557947548_n.jpg?oh=38d4db7996db4bcb0c85cde79d5bd288&oe=574D90D8>

Sales counter. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/12417627_10153219879676338_222654522480338781_n.jpg?oh=34a4c4e295c513fb370e5a959f51927e&oe=574A363D>

Genre signs. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/12642766_10153219879836338_8287368278436888577_n.jpg?oh=32779f35d746cf3c8b5af25c0624e042&oe=574E5872>

The fiction section. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/12644729_10153219879896338_3194130524665210655_n.jpg?oh=ba0c2619b05231a3485a8619b1febcc4&oe=57521A70>

Community event table. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/11036949_10152647486441338_9218828880307891634_n.jpg?oh=71a80d7402600206b44b6e25e18c8207&oe=577EC247>

The gift section. <https://thechicagoactivist.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/feminist-bookstore-starts-a-new-chapter/>

Other images of the bookstore courtesy of Lynn Mooney.

Timeline Images

Change in Ownership <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Women-Children-First-Bookstore/8326741337>

Grand Opening <http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/wcf-history-and-purpose>

Post-Renovation Open House <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Women-Children-First-Bookstore/8326741337>

Sappho’s Salon <http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/event/sapphos-salon-monthly-performance-salon-featuring-expressions-queerness-gender-and-feminism-0>

Store Opens in Current Location <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Women-Children-First-Bookstore/8326741337>

W&CF Moves <http://www.chicagogayhistory.com/ARTICLE.php?AID=21 >

Women’s Voices Fund Created <http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/wcf-history-and-purpose >

Web

Andersonville neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. <http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Andersonville-Chicago-IL.html>

Chicago Tribune <http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-women-and-children-first-bookstore-has-new-owners-20140717-column.html>

The Feminist Bookstores that Inspired Portlandia. <http://www.mhpbooks.com/the-feminist-bookstores-that-inspired-the-portlandia-sketches/>

Intersectionality: definition of intersectionality in Oxford dictionary. <http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/intersectionality>

The Neighborhood – Andersonville. <http://andersonville.org/>

Paste Magazine <http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2014/05/the-last-13-feminist-bookstores-in-the-us-and-canada.html>

Poets & Writers <http://www.pw.org/content/inside_indie_bookstores_women_amp_children_first_in_chicago?cmnt_all=1>

Women and Children First <http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/wcf-history-and-purpose>

 

A Communal Space for Women and Children

Located in Chicago, Illinois, Women and Children First Bookstore has been an integral part of its community since it first opened in 1979. Throughout the years, this bookstore has made the most of its 3,500 square foot space on N. Clark St; though packed with books and other merchandise, Women and Children First has always found room to host numerous local community events, such as author readings and workshops, among its many shelves. Supported by its Women’s Voices Fund, the bookstore is dedicated to enriching the community it has thrived in through its many events and programs. This dedication to the community of Andersonville, and the greater Chicago area, can be seen in the bookstore’s interior as well, which, after its recent renovation, skillfully balances a welcoming, communal atmosphere with a significant stock of titles on many different topics.

Lynn Mooney and Sarah Hollenbeck, the new owners of the bookstore as of August 2014, announced upcoming renovations soon after they took over store operations. The renovations were completed in February 2015. One of the goals of these renovations was to allocate more space and time to the many community events that the bookstore hosts. These events include author readings, workshops, TEDx Talks, and meetings for local activist groups. The renovations were themselves a community effort, organized through Indiegogo and backed by many local citizens and businesses. Below is a video from this campaign outlining the goals of the renovations and the bookstore’s call for support from their patrons:

Now that the renovations have been completed, the first thing that greets a curious customer upon walking into Women and Children First is a table book display; the first of many. Beyond this point, you have a choice to make — to the left is the gifts section, full of postcards and other odds and ends, and to the right are the books. As we move past the gifts section, we come to the center of the store — the sales’ counter. Surrounded by displays, the sales’ counter is the center of activity. Behind the counter is a large chalkboard, where employees write in the events for the month; a touch of the personal to advertise the many programs the bookstore supports. While many customers may gravitate towards the left, and towards the easier means of navigation through the bookstore and the colorful displays in front of the sales counters, if one knows what one has come for, the tall bookshelves to the right offer more options.

Beginning with the New & Noteworthy section at the very front, these larger shelves house many different genres. From bestsellers to literary fiction to nonfiction, the alcoves created by these bookshelves allow customers to browse through the books without interrupting the flow of traffic throughout the rest of the store. This, along with the tables and chairs scattered throughout these sections, encourage customers to sit down and stay a while; there is one particular area for guest seating in the New & Noteworthy section, where the bestsellers are kept. Since many customers come to bookstores seeking particular bestsellers, and this section is located at the very front of the store, this is an ideal place to set aside seating. Scattering tables and chairs throughout the bookstore brings a more home-y feeling; rather than appearing simply as a business, as a place to pick up products and move on, this bookstore is a place to linger, to browse.

beforeafter
A before & after renovations view of the right side of the bookstore.

In the next alcove is the fiction section. The signs indicating genres throughout the store are hand-written by employees, and throughout the shelves in the fiction section are small cards detailing store recommendations. These personal touches emphasize what kind of bookstore this is; an independent bookstore, a product of the surrounding community, a place where the employees know enough about books to give informed recommendations and they aren’t in the business for money. In her book Reluctant Capitalists, Laura J. Miller states that, unlike with independents, customers assume that employees at chain stores are “not very well versed in book matters” (202). In a bookstore like Women and Children First, however, the employees know and care for what they’re doing.

As you walk further along this end of the store, you come to the last alcove, which houses the LGBTQ+ and Women’s Studies sections. As a feminist bookstore, Women and Children First has a particular interest in displaying these sorts of titles prominently; though this section is located relatively far back in the store, there is a large amount of floor space dedicated to books on them. According to Laura J. Miller, often “consumption […] can be viewed as a means to demonstrate commitments to particular values” (225). In a world where feminist and LGBTQ+ topics are not necessarily seen as commonplace, a dedication to selling quality literature about them is a rare find; Women and Children First places a high importance on these titles, and many customers do as well.

childrenssection1
Story time with former bookstore owner Linda Bubon.

Turning the corner to follow the back wall of the bookstore, we come to one of the largest sections — the children’s books. Formerly the center of all community events in the bookstore, this section has been rearranged to appear more comfortable and welcoming. According to this article, the events scheduled in this space tended to block off this area of the store, which is quite popular, and some larger events even had to be relocated to other places in the neighborhood. The stage once used for events has been removed, and in its place are tables, chairs, and a rug for young kids to sit on during the bookstore’s weekly story time readings with former bookstore owner Linda Bubon. Many of the local kids come to these readings, an important aspect of the bookstore’s connection to the Andersonville community.

Past the children’s section, at the north end of the bookstore, is the newly renovated community and event space. Surrounded by bookshelves, this event space is separated from the rest of bookstore; this separation allows traffic through the rest of the store to move easily during events, as well as allowing for a more intimate setting. The set-up of this space depends on the event. For some events, such as author readings, there are rows of chairs gathered around a microphone, a fairly traditional setting. But for other events, such as workshops, the bookstore has a large table. Each visitor sits at the table, side-by-side with everyone else, a welcoming atmosphere for the events that allows for more casual conversation. These events solidify the bookstore’s connection to its community, a connection that has allowed the bookstore to thrive through the many years since it first opened. The events calendar for Women and Children First can be found here.

Women and Children First has been an important part of its community for over thirty years. Even with its recent change in ownership, the bookstore’s message of open-mindedness and diversity has not changed. New owners Mooney and Hollenbeck, with their recent interior changes, have emphasized the bookstore’s connection to community events and programs, as well as to quality literature. Women and Children First truly makes the most of its space.

Sources

Websites

Indiegogo, Women & Children & YOU First. <https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/women-children-you-first#/>

Kirby, Megan. Chicago Tribune, “Women & Children First to celebrate renovation March 21.” <http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/books/ct-prj-women-and-children-first-bookstore-renovation-20150311-story.html>

Kirch, Claire. Publisher’s Weekly, “Anniversary launches fund: women & children first celebrates 25 years with fund to support bookstore programs.” <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=susqu_main&id=GALE%7CA126198272&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon&userGroup=susqu_main&authCount=1>

Women & Children First Website. <http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/>

Photos

Before and after of the bookstore. <https://www.facebook.com/8326741337/photos/pb.8326741337.-2207520000.1458547073./10152560025351338/?type=3&theater>

Story time. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/l/t1.0-9/12651123_10153219879651338_1654267169981121629_n.jpg?oh=2ff9de53136e5dabe2df799ccd3016fc&oe=575344FE>

ThingLink Photos

The chalkboard. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10405303_10153219879726338_7945255532557947548_n.jpg?oh=38d4db7996db4bcb0c85cde79d5bd288&oe=574D90D8>

View of the sales counter. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/12417627_10153219879676338_222654522480338781_n.jpg?oh=34a4c4e295c513fb370e5a959f51927e&oe=574A363D>

Genre signs. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/12642766_10153219879836338_8287368278436888577_n.jpg?oh=32779f35d746cf3c8b5af25c0624e042&oe=574E5872>

The fiction section. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/12644729_10153219879896338_3194130524665210655_n.jpg?oh=ba0c2619b05231a3485a8619b1febcc4&oe=57521A70>

Window display. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfl1/v/t1.0-9/12814703_10153283545866338_4343474797026190231_n.jpg?oh=998719b031bcb966b465efad569c2228&oe=57938ADC>

Front entrance. <http://patriciaannmcnair.com/2011/09/19/women-and-children-first-chicago-great-books-great-places/>

Children’s section pre-remodel. <https://www.groupon.com/articles/a-neighborhood-treasure-for-kids-storytime-at-women-children-first-bookstore>

Community event table. <https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/11036949_10152647486441338_9218828880307891634_n.jpg?oh=71a80d7402600206b44b6e25e18c8207&oe=577EC247>

The gift section. <https://thechicagoactivist.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/feminist-bookstore-starts-a-new-chapter/>

Text

Miller, Laura J. Reluctant Capitalists: Bookselling and the Culture of Consumption. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. Print.

Women & Children First: Navigating Between Books as Objects and Books as Things

From its long purple awning to its brick façade, the exterior of Women & Children First has remained much the same over its nearly three-decade-long residence in the Andersonville Neighborhood of Chicago. Perhaps the only element of the storefront that regularly changes is the window display – one week encouraging readers to “choose [their] own feminist adventure,” another supporting LGBTQ rights with a pride display. The interior of the building, however, tells a different tale.

women & children first picture (3)
Interior of Women & Children First in 2011

Based on photographs, the interior of the store also remained much the same until February of 2015 when current owners Lynn Mooney and Sarah Hollenbeck, along with a team of staff members, completed renovations to the space. Prior to these renovations, the store was perhaps more reflective of stereotypical ideas about independent bookstores, with its hodge-podge of shelves, its cramped walkways, and its lackluster lighting. As a customer entered the shop, the sales desk greeted her, blocking her view of the merchandise and making it difficult to distinguish an intended pathway for the flow of traffic. The children’s section at the back of the store, located partially on a raised platform,  doubled as an area for author readings and other events. In this space, the mixture between the business of books and the consumption of ideas was highlighted by desks and work spaces interspersed between bookshelves.

The current view from the front door of Women & Children First is calm when compared with this. In many ways, the store has adopted a more strategic, rationalized floor plan. Tables display the merchandise closest to the door, then short shelves, with the tallest shelving near the walls. The floor plan creates a logical path for the eyes and feet to follow, instead of allowing the customer to be accosted by mismatched  shelves at different heights and angles across the sales floor. Below is a floor plan for the current layout of the store.


When Linda Bubon and Ann Christopherson, the founders of Women & Children First, put their store on the market, they made it clear that they would only sell to someone committed to maintaining its legacy as a feminist, independent bookstore. With their new layout, it seems that Mooney and Hollenbeck have preserved both of these facets of the bookstore, but have also moved forward with renovations that make the space more commercially viable in today’s market. The new design of the store seeks to navigate between the seemingly opposed values of business and community, capitalism and activism, between preserving the history and political nature of the store, increasing its ability to cater to members of the community, and updating the space for improved sales. In doing so, the booksellers, the collectors and curators of this place, also negotiate between viewing books as objects and viewing them as things.

This shelf of is located close to the front of the store and the window facing W Farragut Street. Both the physical and online stores feature some staff picks also found on the Indie Next List. Many of these titles are also currently displayed at the indie bookstore close to my home.
Both the physical and online stores feature some staff picks also found on the Indie Next List. Many of these titles are also currently displayed at the indie bookstore close to my home.

First, in the design of the store as it is meant to sell products, we see the book treated as an object. Here I give “object” the same meaning as Bruno Latour, specifically that it is a fact, something external, as opposed to a “thing,” which encompasses the factual object but is also a “matter of concern” (2288). In other words, a thing connects an object to a subject. Currently, the first display of objects that a customer will see upon entering the store is a table of hardcover fiction, closely followed by a table of new and noteworthy titles, a fixture of both independent and chain stores. Just past this is the first “tall” shelf of the store, showcasing staff picks. The prominent position of these staff-selected titles is a mark of the store as an independent, eager to showcase its unique qualities through personalized, hand-written recommendations for books. While the store attempts to display these recommendations as unique, I have seen many of the featured titles displayed prominently in other stores, or on the Indie Next List published by the American Bookseller’s Association (ABA). In this way, the display also seeks to capitalize on strategies first developed by chain retailers. As described by Laura Miller in Reluctant Capitalists, IndieBound (formerly Book Sense) is an attempt to brand independent retailers and “beat the chains at their own game” (193).

12794513_10153262311241338_1155111044361134194_n
The community & event space on the north side of the store during a recent adult coloring book night. Notice the community bulletin board in the background of the photo.

While the first few sections of the store seem constructed to appeal to the casual shopper without a specific interest in feminist issues, the final alcove, against the back wall, features LGBTQ & Women’s Studies titles. It is a section positioned for the reader who knows what she is looking for, who might bypass the flashier fiction bestsellers and head for gender studies. Similarly, the store’s other titular focus, the children’s section, resides against the back wall of the store. This area, somewhat separated from the rest by its location and the positioning of the bookshelves around it, is also distinguished by its décor, including a rainbow rug and cushions. It is also one of the two areas in the store specifically designated for community. While all events used to be held in the children’s section of the store, the remodel opened up space along the north wall to serve in this capacity instead. During readings or performances it becomes a stage, surrounded by rows of folding chairs. During book clubs or evening events like adult coloring book night, a large table fills the space.

 

Issues of community constitute one of the arenas of W&CF in which objects become things. To return to the front of the store, one display given prominence is that related to events and book groups. The proprietors have placed this specialized selection in an area primarily devoted to books that will appeal to a wider variety of people because these books represent more than products. These books more easily pass the boundary between object and thing and become the gathering of people that meet to discuss them. They are matters of concern, matters of subject, matters of people.

Concept Sketch of Sales Desk
This concept sketch by designer Annie Osborn shows the area where the non-book merchandise is located in the store, to the left of the entrance, between the front window and the sales desk. It is an intentionally isolated position.

On a larger scale, the store reflects a division of thing and object in the way that non-book merchandise and work space stands separate from the rest of the store. The non-book merchandise exists almost solely in a congregation to the left of the entrance. While one purpose of this position may be to elicit impulse buys from patrons, it is also a very physical separation between items that are matters of concern and items that are not. The remodel of the store also makes a point to separate the business of books from the consumption of ideas. Whereas desks and work areas originally sat among the bookshelves, they now sit physically and visually separated from the rest of the space. In addition to convenience and reduced clutter, this separation marks the boundaries between the object-driven capitalism of the bookstore and its otherwise thing-oriented nature as a site of discussion and feminist activism. Even as the booksellers at Women & Children First take steps to rationalize and move toward selling books as objects, they cannot manage to completely divorce themselves from thinking of books as “things.”

Sources
Floor plan
Annie Osborn
Sarah Hollenbeck and Lynn Mooney provided concept sketches for the design and floor plan.
Women & Children First Facebook Page

Images 
Annie Osborn
Google Street View: 5233 N Clark Street
Sarah Hollenbeck and Lynn Mooney
Women & Children First Facebook Page

Text
Emmanuel, Adeshina. “Women and Children First Bookstore Sold to Store Employees.” DNAinfo. 16 July. 2014.
Web.
Miller, Laura J. Reluctant Capitalists: Bookselling and the Culture of Consumption. Chicago: The University of
Chicago Press. Print.
Latour, Bruno. “Why has Critique Run Out?” The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Ed. Vincent B.
Leitch. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2277-2293. Print.

 

Survival of a Feminist Bookstore Through Community and a Literary Public

*

Imagine being a young feminist in the late 1970s, fresh out of graduate school with a degree in literature from the University of Illinois. You have discussed starting a business with a peer from your program and decide that the most logical endeavor for your joint skill-set is the creation of a bookstore. At this time in Chicago there exist upward of sixty independent bookstores, and chain stores have yet to move into the area (Chamberlin). You and your new business partner decide that there are plenty of readers to go around and open your small, specialty bookstore. The two of you are also active in the second wave of feminism – when you are not supporting the movement in your freshly founded bookstore, you are out on the streets campaigning for causes like the Equal Rights Amendment.

This story describes the genesis of the now well-known feminist bookstore Women & Children First, today located in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. Linda Bubon and Ann Christophersen, the founders of this store, were far from the only young feminist entrepreneurs of the era. At the height of their popularity, there were over 100 feminist bookstores in the United States (Frangello), and 175 in North America (McGrath). Now the number of feminist bookstores in the U. S. seems to hover somewhere in the low teens (Hogan). How then has Women & Children First survived in a climate so inhospitable to the feminist bookstore? For that answer, we need to look back into the store’s history and the history of the feminist bookstore in general.

Linda Bubon and Ann Christophersen in front of Women & Children First at its first location.
Linda Bubon and Ann Christophersen in front of Women & Children First at its first location.

Bubon and Christophersen opened the first incarnation of their bookstore on November 10, 1979, not in Andersonville, but on Armitage Avenue in the DePaul neighborhood of Chicago. Their goal in opening the store was to “promote the work of women writers and to create a place in which all women would find books reflecting their lives and interests” (W&CF History and Purpose). In line with Raymond Williams’ ideas in Marxism and Literature, Women & Children First recognized that institutions were “irregularly applying ‘literary warrant’” to texts, mostly those by men (Hogan 604). Bubon and Christophersen pooled money and even built the bookshelves for the store themselves (Harper). The original 850-square-foot store served the pair for almost five years, at which point they moved to a new location a few blocks away (Chamberlin). They stayed in this area for another five years, until, in July of 1990, a new landlord and higher rent forced them to look for a new site. Women & Children First relocated to a building in Andersonville that had once been a grocery store (Chamberlin). The bookstore has remained at this location for the last twenty-five years.

Former location of Women & Children First at 1967 N. Halsted Street.

Andersonville now has a reputation as a diverse neighborhood with a thriving LGBTQ culture. Looking at the area now, it can be difficult to determine whether this culture evolved around the bookstore or the bookstore moved into the culture. On closer examination, it appears to be the former. Andersonville is a historic neighborhood that gained a large Swedish population after the Great Chicago Fire (Figueroa). In more recent years, (since Women & Children First came to town), the area has become much more diverse (Chamberlin); the community and the bookstore have grown together.

Bubon reports that between 1979 and 1992, the store’s sales increased steadily, but began to waver in the mid-nineties. To make up for this decline, the store began to sell textbooks at local universities and put more emphasis on conference sales (Amer). It is unsurprising that this drop in sales coincided with the appearance of multiple chain retailers in the area. One reason for the so-called “death” of the feminist bookstore is that chain stores began to carry titles that were once only available through small feminist stores. As a result, “the spaces that nurtured the movement and produced those ideas are vanishing” (McGrath).

In her article “Women’s Studies in Feminist Bookstores: ‘All the women’s studies women would come in,’” Kristen Hogan writes that feminist bookstores “claimed public space for the feminist movement” (595). These stores provided resources for scholars looking for information that they could not find in general bookstores or college libraries, as well as activists and community members looking for a safe space to work through sensitive issues. Feminist bookstores made obscure books by women more widely available by stocking Xeroxed copies and small publications and rallying for out-of-print books to come back into print. They created a “feminist literary public sphere,” space for literature as a political activity (Hogan 597). Explaining this phenomena in an interview Karla Mantilla, Gina Mercurio of the feminist bookstore People Called Women says:

The dot coms and big box stores don’t offer a safe space for women (especially marginalized  women) to read their poetry aloud for the first time in public…don’t have resources to connect women with lawyers or lesbian-friendly therapists…don’t spread the word about local feminist cultural events…And they DO NOT operate on an ethic committed to creating and anti-racist, anti-classist, pro-choice, pro-lesbian, anti-woman-hating culture. (50)

Creating this physical space for the feminist movement allowed for the formation of relationships and the spread of feminist ideals. However, as these ideals became more mainstream and resources became available in chain stores and on the internet, less people saw the need for the feminist bookstore. While Women & Children First is one of the few feminist bookstores still in existence, it too has struggled with economic troubles and floundering support for this type of bookstore. In 2007 the store came close to closing, but Christophersen believes that the Andersonville community is what kept the store alive (Frangello).

Over the course of the store’s history, Women & Children First has emphasized the importance of events and community outreach. In the article “Pushed to the margins: the slow death and possible rebirth of the feminist bookstore,” Kathryn McGrath writes that “Women & Children First has successfully competed with Barnes & Noble over star speakers, getting authors like Margaret Atwood, Isabelle Allende, and Al and Tipper Gore.” Women and Children First not only emphasizes big-name speakers and authors (they recently hosted a conversation between Gloria Steinem and Roxane Gay), but also supports local authors. In 2005, the store started the Women’s Voices Fund to help support their programming when they could no longer afford to pay for it with their operating budget (Women’s Voices Fund). They have a strong marketing and publicity presence, promoting events and sending out an e-newsletter every month that goes to 6,500 people (Presenting Women & Children First Bookstore).

There is a support system in the Andersonville area for the “’local’ economy” (Frangello). When Women & Children First moved into the neighborhood, it was one of the stores that built this emphasis on local business, and now it benefits from that. Almost all of the stores along Clark Street, where the bookstore is located, are independent and locally-owned. When Women & Children First announced to the community that it was struggling, the community came out to help. The bookstore is also “deeply involved in every aspect of the neighborhood” (Presenting Women & Children First Bookstore). One of the founders sat on the chamber of commerce for a number of years. When area libraries announced that they would be closed on Mondays due to financial reasons, Bubon quickly organized a story time read-in in front of a branch of the library. The library is currently open on Mondays (Presenting Women & Children First Bookstore).

Ultimately, Women & Children First has survived due to its deep involvement in the Andersonville community. In addition to being a feminist bookstore, it is a neighborhood bookstore. Kristen Hogan identifies a split that occurred between academic feminism and community activism as women’s studies became more institutionalized in the 1980s and 1990s (606). This split may have caused the dissolution of the communities surrounding certain feminist bookstores, but Women & Children First has kept a sense of community intact, and through community it has continued its existence.

*Please note that, when an event has a date of the first of January, it indicates the year, and when the date is the first of any other month, it indicates the month and year.

Sources

Images

Harper, Jorjet. Putting Women & Children First. Chicago Gay History.

Windy City Media Group.

Women and Children First.

Maps

Google Maps: 1967 Halsted Street

Text

Amer, Robin. What’s killing feminist book stores? WEBZ91.5 Web.

Borrelli, Christopher. “More than a Bookstore.” Chicago Tribune. 10 Nov. 2009. ProQuest. Web.

Chamberlin, Jeremiah. “Inside Indie Bookstores: Women & Children First in Chicago.” Poets&Writers. 1 May 2010. Web.

Figueroa, Sonia. “Andersonville: A Chicago Neighborhood.” See Sonia. N.p., n.d. Web.

Frangello, Gina. “Chicago’s Women & Children First Inspires Three Decades of Writers and Readers.” Huffpost Chicago. 29 Nov. 2009. Web.

Harper, Jorjet. Putting Women & Children First. Chicago Gay History.

Hogan, Kristen. “Women’s Studies in Feminist Bookstores: ‘All the Women’s Studies women would come in.’” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 33.3 (2008) Web.

Mantilla, Karla. “Feminist Bookstores: Where Women’s Lives Matter.” off our backs 37.2/3

McGrath, Kathryn. “Pushed to the margins: the slow death and possible rebirth of the feminist bookstore.” Feminist Collections: A Quarterly of Women’s Studies Resources 25.3 (2004) Web.

Presenting Women & Children First Bookstore.

W&CF History and Purpose. Women and Children First.

Williams, Raymond. Marxism and Literature. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Ed. Vincent B. Leitch. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1567-1575. Print.

Videos

A New Chapter for Women & Children First

Women and Children First: A Meeting Place

As I meander virtually up North Clark Street in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago, courtesy of Google Street View, I recognize few of the businesses surrounding the feminist bookstore Women and Children First.  North Clark Street, the location of the bookstore, is a center of commerce in Andersonville and also a hub for independently owned stores. As I scan the length of the street, only a few chain stores appear: 7-Eleven, Starbucks, Walgreens. All of the other stores have unfamiliar names.

Women and Children First Bookstore

The spirit of the local independent store thrives in this community, as the Andersonville website emphasizes. Women and Children First, started by Linda Bubon and Ann Christophersen in 1979 and still independently owned, fits with this spirit. Just a few steps past the book shop sits the Andersonville Galleria, which is not a mall full of chain stores, as the name might suggest to those unfamiliar with the area, but a building housing almost one hundred independent vendors. A large portion of the stores along the street deal in home décor and furnishings. Women and Children First has very little direct competition; the closest bookstore to their establishment is Alleycat comics.

Andersonville Galleria

In addition to the many independent shops in the area, North Clark Street boasts an assortment of restaurants. Eateries include bars, breweries, and sushi joints, although there seems to be a particularly high number of establishments selling Italian cuisine. Once again, few chain restaurants appear in this community. Along North Clark Street, the only chain that I recognize is a Subway.

Map showing the boundaries of the Andersonville neighborhood in Chicago.
Map showing the boundaries of the Andersonville neighborhood in Chicago.

The Andersonville neighborhood stretches east to west from North Ravenswood Avenue to North Magnolia Avenue, and north to south from Victoria Street to Foster Avenue. Located in northern Chicago, the neighborhood abuts Edgewater, which, as the name implies, includes part of Lake Michigan’s shoreline. The Andersonville Commercial Historic District encompasses a large swath of North Clark Street, the location of Women and Children First. In fact, the National Register of Historic Places lists this area.

In the mid nineteenth century when settlers first began to construct homes in the area, the land that would become Andersonville was a far-flung suburb of the city. Movement to the area increased drastically in the aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire. After the destruction caused by the fire, a new ordinance prohibited the construction of wooden houses in the city. As such, the bulk of the people who moved into the Andersonville area at that time were Swedish immigrants who could not afford to build houses out of more expensive materials (Figueroa). Their presence in the neighborhood is still prominent today.

Swedish American Museum

Intervening years have transformed the neighborhood into a more diverse area. Although the majority of the residents in the area are white, there is a substantial Hispanic population. Furthermore, Andersonville claims to be home to one of the largest gay and lesbian communities in Chicago. The total population is 7.58K, and the median age for residents is thirty-six. Eighty-seven percent of residents have a degree above a high school diploma, including associate, bachelor, and post-graduate degrees. The median household income is $72,887.

As I scan the storefronts around Women and Children First, there is at once a feeling of familiarity and strangeness. The sidewalks, street lamps, and brick and stone façades fit with my notion of the old American main street, an aesthetic sought after by a shopping center in my home  town misleadingly named Main Street at E—. Perhaps this is part of our search for “‘authenticity’ and rootedness” as argued by David Harvey (Cresswell 60). In our age of time-space compression, we try to create a place for ourselves that seems unique.  This could also characterize Andersonville’s emphasis on the independent retailers that populate the neighborhood. To build a community, a place, that differs from mass culture, the residents focus on the independent store. Harvey calls this militant particularism, or “the political use of the particularity of a place as a form of resistance against the forces of global capitalism” (Cresswell 61). Andersonville crafts its sense of uniqueness partially through commercial retail space.

In considering Women and Children First specifically, I look to Doreen Massey’s exploration of place as a network. Massey defines place as meeting place, as a point of intersection in social relations (Cresswell 69). As such, uniqueness of interaction, the confluence of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and many other factors, is the driving force behind this feminist bookstore in Chicago.

Sources  

Images 

Figueroa, Sonia. “Andersonville: A Chicago Neighborhood.” See Sonia. N.p., n.d. Web.

Maps 

Google Maps: Woman and Children First, Andersonville Galleria, Swedish American Museum

Text 

Cresswell, Tim. Place: A Short Introduction. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub, 2004.

Figueroa, Sonia. “Andersonville: A Chicago Neighborhood.” See Sonia. N.p., n.d. Web.