Amazon Bookstore Cooperative

The Amazon Bookstore Cooperative, Inc. was founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1970 by two women who sold books from the front porch of their home. Their objective was to sell books and materials on the women's liberation movement and women's issues published by women-owned presses. The bookstore was subsequently named the Amazon Bookstore, for the mythological tribe of women warriors.

At its closing in 2012, Amazon Bookstore Cooperative was the oldest independent feminist bookstore in the United States. It was run collectively for the first decade, and underwent a number of changes to the organizational structure during its years of operation. Unlike other women’s bookstores throughout the country, Amazon Bookstore stocked books authored by exclusively women for most of its years of operation. Amazon also promoted lesbian and women’s music and cultural events though tickets sales, readings, classes and promotion of local events. Many women writers, artists, musicians, activists and politicians with national and international reputations appeared at the bookstore, including Gloria Steinem, Audre Lorde, Anne Leibowitz, Rita Mae Brown, Barbara Grier, Allison Bechdel and Meg Christianson. However, the collective continually sought exposure for books and music produced by local artists, specialized publishers and distributors and women of color.

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