Thursday, July 30, 2020

Today is the last day for Bluestockings on Allen Street; new LES location in the works



Text and photos by Stacie Joy

Updated 8/8: Bluestockings has a new home here.

As previously reported, Bluestockings, a volunteer- and collective-run bookstore, activist space and fair-trade café, is closing its 21-year-old Allen Street location.

Today (Thursday!) is the last day in business. From noon until 6 p.m. you can support the space by shopping its sidewalk sale and buying books, priced $1 to $5, or filling a bag for $10. Also for sale: fixtures, posters, shelves and equipment.

I stopped by to say goodbye during the sidewalk sale yesterday ...







I was allowed inside to take a last look at the now-empty store, which has been here at 172 Allen St. between Stanton and Rivington since 1999...





"We are negotiating for a new space, only a few blocks away and hope to stay in the neighborhood that fought for us," says Collective member Red Schulte. "We so appreciate our community that has stayed with us through thick and thin. We are committed to the Lower East Side and will stay here for as long as we’re wanted."


[Red Schulte]

They request that you wear a mask when you shop and pay via credit card or Paypal. Online sales will continue on at this link even after this location closes.


1 comment:

Chief Primatologist of the East Village Inky said...

OH dang, I'm sorry to have missed this. They've sold the East Village Inky since the beginning. I remember before it was even open - still a feminist bookstore then - and my giant pregnant-with-Inky ayuss was not going to be much help to them in building it out, so I took em some brownies.

Inky, now age 22, had plans to cycle down from East Harlem yesterday...should've joined her.