Worker-stewards push back after Bluestockings’ abrupt closure

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Bluestockings Cooperative announced on Sept. 22 that it would be closing as a business at the end of 2025, marking the end of a 26-year run as an independent feminist bookstore, café, and radical community space. 

According to a statement on the Bluestockings website, daily operations were no longer sustainable due to health, financial and structural challenges. 

The Suffolk Street storefront has already closed its doors. However, Bluestockings says it will continue to fulfill online book orders and membership perks through the end of the year, using remaining funds to pay debts, vendors, and staff handling the transition. 

Meanwhile, on Sept. 24, this "message from the exclusively brown POC stewards fired from BSTOX yesterday" arrived on the store's Instagram account. It was no longer on the feed several hours later...

Outside the shop on Sept. 25, several employees, who identified themselves as worker-owners managing day-to-day operations, held a press conference. They described the sudden closure as a lockout that cut them off from the space, their emails and community resources inside. 

They said they had been working to stabilize their finances — raising more than $64,000 through a GoFundMe, negotiating with distributors, launching book drives, hiring a financial consultant, and posting sales promotions that generated steady revenue as recently as last weekend. An unexpected $6,500 state insurance bill further strained cash flow.

The former staff members criticized a lack of financial transparency and stated that the closure occurred without consultation or severance pay. They emphasized Bluestockings' broader role as a community hub, providing Narcan, fentanyl test strips, free food, a safe bathroom, and a stage for political education and organizing. Donated books, art and mutual aid supplies are now locked inside. 

Calling the lockout "a form of violence," they urged mediation, transparency and a path toward reopening under a community-driven model. A legal and operational fund has been established to cover expenses and explore potential ways forward.

"We don't believe closure is the only option," one speaker said. "This space belongs to the community, and we're committed to finding a just solution."

Here's more of the opening statement read by D this past Thursday: 

The announcement of Bluestockings' imminent closure on Monday, Sept 22, was made to us the same day it was made to the world. If we had even an inkling that this was in the works, we would've alerted community members and groups who rely on the space. Instead, our email and Slack access were revoked and the locks were changed. My coffee mug is still on the counter...

Our situation, when the dust cleared, was approximately $100K in debt with book distributors, so we could not order any more books. We were diligent in every aspect to keep the store open every day, raising over $64,000 via GoFundMe, onboarding a financial consultant, and working with the ICA Group on ownership transfer. Just this summer, Mariame Kaba organized a book drive that brought in over 4,000 titles — our shelves are bursting. On Sunday, the day before the closure was announced, we made over $1,500 in sales. 

We reject being painted as financially unaware or irresponsible workers. The core issues are financial transparency and consensus decision-making. We do not believe sunsetting is the only way forward. We invite the legal worker-owners to share the financial situation so that collective members and community supporters can explore options together. 

The statement, seen later, was signed by "bstox stewards." 

Founded in 1999, Bluestockings spent nearly 22 years on Allen Street before moving to Suffolk in 2021. 

After 26-plus years, Bluestockings says goodbye on the Lower East Side

Photos (from yesterday)

and reporting by Stacie Joy

Bluestockings Cooperative announced that it will close as a business at the end of 2025, ending a 26-year run as an independent feminist bookstore, café and radical community space. 

In a statement, the worker-owners and staff said daily operations are no longer sustainable, citing health, financial and structural challenges. (Updated: Publishers Weekly has more details about the "clash" between the worker-stewards and the store's two owners.)

The store at 116 Suffolk St., between Rivington and Delancey, has closed its doors for business. Bluestockings will fulfill book orders and membership perks online through the end of the year and plans to use remaining funds to pay debts, vendors, and staff handling the transition.

Founded in 1999, Bluestockings has long served as a hub for marginalized communities on the Lower East Side. Bluestockings opened on Suffolk in 2021 after nearly 22 years on Allen Street.

Here's the full statement via the Bluestocking's website: 

The current, former worker-owners, and staff part of the sunsetting crew are gutted to be delivering this news. After 26+ years of serving marginalized communities as an independent feminist bookstore, event hub, and all-around radical community space, the daily operations are unfortunately no longer sustainable on multiple fronts. 

Your support and contributions have sustained the spirit of this radical bookstore for years. We cannot thank you enough for everything you've done for us, and this beautiful, messy, space! 

This closure was our absolute last resort. On top of our crew's ongoing struggle against the organized abandonment of New York City and constant crises, the remaining worker-owner and staff are at the limits of what they can manage in terms of health, disability, and finances. It would be unfair to the Bluestockings' community at large to keep the storefront open, as needed as radical spaces are, and be unprepared and unresourced for future crises, and abruptly shutter. It's time to sunset, transition on our terms, and envision new chapters. 

Here's what to expect: our doors are closed for business as of today, we plan to fulfill any book orders through the end of 2025, and we will also aim to send out any outstanding membership perks within this time. If you're a member, we will officially turn off memberships on December 15th, and absolutely understand if you'd like to cancel earlier. We will, unfortunately, not be able to host any programming or events that may have been scheduled after today, and we're deeply sorry for these abrupt cancellations. 

All remaining funds from the WithFriends membership platform, the GoFundMe, Venmo and elsewhere will be going directly towards settling the shop's considerable outstanding debts, paying out our many vendors, and wherever possible, compensating the crew handling our sunsetting process. 

For more responses to questions we anticipate y'all may have, see this link.

This decision comes after the shared failures of multiple cohorts to come to a consensus around the guiding principles and practices Bluestockings should embody to move forward as a worker-owned cooperative that serves as a radical bookstore, café, and community event space. We've made a lot of mistakes, but the lack of political and business-operations alignment on upholding the responsibilities of our space has directly led to many of the setbacks we've faced the last two years. Of course, $12,000 a month in rent, thousands in utilities, and racist, classist violence from "neighbors" certainly didn't make our work any easier. [Ed Note: This Curbed piece has more on the challenges with the landlord and neighbors.]

We hope to share more in the near future on what's next. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone who's shared space with us. To everyone who came to Bluestockings and found a book that helped define their radical ethos, who came to an event to support collective liberation, who found love and community over what our world could be…the care we're taking to sunset this space, as best we know how, is because of your support over these 26+ years.

Bluestockings reopens after a 2-week closure for sidewalk repairs

Photos by Stacie Joy

Bluestockings Cooperative, the collectively-run activist center, community space and feminist bookstore at 116 Suffolk St., reopened yesterday after a two-week closure to repair the sidewalk outside the storefront here between Rivington and Delancey.

The work was originally expected to take just two days.

During the temp closure, fans of Bluestockings helped support the space by ordering books online and becoming members.

Meanwhile, in-person events return here next month, including author talks.

Bluestocking, which debuted on the LES in 1999, is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (with a 1 p.m. start on Mondays). 

Why Bluestockings remains closed on the LES

Bluestockings Cooperative, the collectively-run activist center, community space and feminist bookstore at 116 Suffolk St., remains closed today — as it has been all week. 

Here's more about the situation via the Bluestockings Instagram account: 

Due to gross negligence by the owner of the building we are based out of, we have had to close our doors temporarily in order for emergency construction to take place. We were told this would be a two-day job, but mismanagement, weather, and a lack of the correct permits have prolonged the process to at least a five-day job. 

We are a small, anti-capitalist bookstore with razor-thin profit margins, and having to close for this length of time will have a huge financial impact on us as worker-owners and our business. If you would like to support us during this time, please consider making a purchase online or becoming a member ...

Bluestockings opened at 172 Allen St. between Stanton and Rivington in 1999... before relocating in 2021 to this space between Rivington and Delancey.

You can follow the Bluestockings Instagram account for updates.

Image via @Bluestockingsnyc

Details on the Suffolk Street Solidarity fundraiser

Bluestockings Cooperative Bookstore and The Clemente Center are hosting a fundraiser on Dec. 8 — in person as well as via live stream. 

Here are some details about the event, held at The Clemente, via the EVG inbox...

Bluestockings has been part of the Lower East Side for 22 years and The Clemente for nearly 30. Bluestockings found a new home during the pandemic, and it's right across from The Clemente on Suffolk Street. We are thrilled to be neighbors and for all the possibilities this opens for us to work together. 

We're marking this new chapter with a joint fundraiser to mutually support each other's work and connect our already overlapping communities.

Speakers: Alok, Rita Indiana, Molly Crabapple, Yin Q, Victoria Law

Performers: Claudi of PincLouds and Choked Up (with Cristy Road)

Raffle Items: We have coveted items and great gifts which include thematically curated bundles from Bluestockings merch, Hardcover coffee table books donated by the Museum of the City of New York, tickets and passes to plays and concerts donated by Teatro SEA, and Arts for Art, and more.

Suffolk Street Solidarity is a celebration of our communities that will support our spaces' continued survival and shared commitment to solidarity work. Our fundraising goal of $70k will be split equally between Bluestockings & The Clemente.

Find ticket information and more information about the fundraiser at this link. 

The Clemente Center is located at 107 Suffolk St. at Rivington. 

Opening day at the new Bluestockings Cooperative on the Lower East Side

The new home for the Bluestockings Cooperative officially opened yesterday at 116 Suffolk St.

The collectively-run activist center, community space and feminist bookstore previously held a successful crowdfunding campaign, which raised more than $100,000 to help Bluestockings build out the space between Rivington and Delancey.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the space yesterday for an opening-day look...

Bluestockings opened at 172 Allen St. between Stanton and Rivington in 1999... before moving on at the end of last July. 

You can follow the Bluestockings Instagram account for updates. The hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Today is the last day for Bluestockings on Allen Street; new LES location in the works

Bluestockings officially reopens Friday in new Lower East Side home

The new home for the Bluestockings Cooperative has its official grand opening on Friday at 116 Suffolk St. between Rivington and Delancey.

Bluestockings shared the info with EVG via Instagram...

The volunteer- and collective-run bookstore and activist space hosted a soft, limited capacity reopening for the holiday season back in November.

A successful crowdfunding campaign, which raised a little more than $100,000, allowed Bluestockings to build out the new home.

Bluestockings opened at 172 Allen St. between Stanton and Rivington in 1999... before moving on at the end of last July. 

You can follow the Bluestockings Instagram account for updates. The hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Today is the last day for Bluestockings on Allen Street; new LES location in the works

Bluestockings announce new home on Suffolk Street

[116 Suffolk St.]

Bluestockings, the volunteer- and collective-run bookstore, activist space and fair-trade café, closed its 21-year-old Allen Street location on July 30. At the time, Bluestockings announced that they had a new LES home lined up.

And yesterday, the official word came down via Instagram: Bluestockings now has the keys to 116 Suffolk St. between Rivington and Delancey.

Bluestockings launched a crowdfunding campaign to help build out the new space and "keep providing vital resources to our queer, trans and SWing community."

Per GoFundMe:

Our new space is more than double the size of 172 Allen Street! Accessibility needs are at the forefront of our plans when designing the new space, with a fully ADA-compliant bathroom, expanded café seating, lower café countertops, clear exit paths and wider aisles. We are excited to have more space and need your help to install a platform lift in our cafe area to make sure that our disabled comrades are able to take full advantage of the space.

This extra room also gives us the opportunity to have a much needed area dedicated exclusively to events and meetings for our friends who run book clubs, labor organizers, and anyone else who utilizes Bluestockings as a hub for radical thought.

A much needed technological upgrade.

One of the major issues we have come up against over the years is our very outdated software system. This has made it especially hard to keep up with online orders! To make sure that this isn’t an obstacle going forward, we plan to reopen with a new POS and inventory system to make ordering from Bluestockings as easy as possible.

Bluestockings opened at 172 Allen St. between Stanton and Rivington in 1999. You can follow the Bluestockings Instagram account for updates.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Today is the last day for Bluestockings on Allen Street; new LES location in the works

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.

Bluestockings is leaving its Allen Street home of 21 years: 'This is not goodbye'

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

Bluestockings, the collectively owned and volunteer-powered bookstore, cafe and activist center on Allen Street between Stanton and Rivington, is on the move.

They shared the news this morning in posts on Facebook and Instagram:

Due to so many unforeseen circumstances both pandemic-related and otherwise, we must leave our current location at 172 Allen St. in search of a new, more sustainable, accessible and safer home.

The copy reads:

This is not goodbye. This is “wait for our new location announcement,” hopefully soon. The facts are: we have outgrown our space and we want features that better accommodate and center our disabled collective and community. We want ramps and bathrooms and ventilation and chair lifts! We are committed to realizing this for our future home!

Though we wish we were making this decision on our own terms, our decision has been forced by the demands of our landlord for more money and by their inaction on necessary repairs to the structural damage our wild little slice of space has endured over these last 21 years.

With so much afire, we’re evermore committed to doing all we can to keep this project alive and rooted at a physical space (such a rarity in NYC). We know our movements need spaces–to share and grow and learn and build alongside each other.

It’s going to be hard, and take a lot of work. But we’re here for it. We humbly ask for your patience and continued support in the coming weeks and months as we relocate, store and continue our virtual programming.

With all our hearts and guts,

The Bluestockings Collective

Hear the latest work from the author of 'Legends of the Chelsea Hotel' tomorrow night

Author Ed Hamilton, whose work includes "Legends of the Chelsea Hotel," has a new novel coming out titled "Lords of the Schoolyard."

The book is described as "an unflinching depiction of bullying in Suburban America as seen through the eyes of the bullies themselves."

He'll be reading from it (and signing copies afterwards) tomorrow night at 7 at Bluestockings, 172 Allen St. near Stanton Street on the Lower East Side.

Celebrate 18 years of Bluestockings Bookstore tonight

✨JUNE 3RD • 7PM ✨ Come celebrate 18 incredible years of Bluestockings! The night will feature a talent show showcasing some of our staff and volunteers. There will be snacks, friends, and lots of love all around. We’d love for all of you who have helped us stay open for so long to be there to celebrate with us–we wouldn’t be here without the support of our beautiful community ✨

A post shared by Bluestockings Bookstore (@bluestockingsnyc) on May 12, 2017 at 10:52am PDT

The collectively-owned radical bookstore, fair trade cafe and activist center celebrates 18 years in business starting tonight at 7, 172 Allen St. near Stanton. Bluestockings recently signed a new lease and underwent some minor modifications.