Women & Children First opened in a modest storefront in 1979, owned by Ann Christophersen and Linda Bubon, who met as graduate students at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Over the years we’ve been located in several locations on Chicago’s northside. In 1990, we moved to our current location in the Andersonville neighborhood.
We are one of the largest feminist bookstores in the country, stocking more than 30,000 books by and about women, children’s books, and the best LGBTQIA+ literature. Anything we don’t have in stock we can usually get in a few days, even if it’s a title outside our specialty. We also carry cards, magazines, journals, posters, calendars, buttons, flags, and more. In 2014, our co-founders sold the bookstore to two of their staffers, Lynn Mooney and Sarah Hollenbeck. The change in ownership kept the store “in the family” and renewed the strength and vitality of our mission. We strive to offer a place where everyone can find books reflecting their lives and interests in an atmosphere in which they are respected and valued.
Women & Children First believes in the transformative power of literature. As intersectional trans-inclusive feminists, we believe books are tools for liberation. Since 1979, we have celebrated and amplified underrepresented voices. In order for feminism to remain relevant, it must be forever evolving.
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Article originally Published in the February/March 2020 Issue “Short Stories”