A Shop of One's Own: The Culture and Contradictions of Feminist Bookstores

Feminist bookstores emerged in the 1970s, through the efforts of women who creatively combined ideas and practices from both feminism and business. As part of the Women in Print movement, these stores promote and disseminate women's writing. They are also cultural spaces in which people encounter positive images of women, are exposed to feminist ideas, explore personal identity, and find community. This hybrid identity---as both a feminist center and a small business---creates various challenges and opportunities. I explore the emergence and decline of feminist bookstores, the ways feminist booksellers manage the contradictions posed by their hybrid identity, and the meaning that the stores hold for their customers. I use interviews, archival materials, participant observation, qualitative content analysis, and surveys. I bring together sociological literature on culture, organizations, and social movements.