Bluestockings Cooperative Bookstore

An warm feminist bookstore with harm reduction, gathering space, and a nice selection of books. People working are kind and knowledgeable. There are so few queer and feminist bookstores left, it's lovely to be able to support one, and to find one with the vibes I value and remember. Keep showing up to support and enjoy these spaces so they keep existing. 💗💕

I love how consistent the vibe is here. It’s an LGBTQ, employee-owned, progressive left store, and they aren’t hiding it at all. Great publications at the front. You have to wear masks (I didn’t love that). Book selection is good, although I didn’t see great recommendations here. Overall, not great options for seating but high ceilings with lots of light. And there’s a coffee shop inside.

Great store to browse or meet friends or make purchases that support communities at risk. They have a give and take wall where you can buy a book or coffee or the like for a stranger, and offer access to a restroom (so rare in NYC), free covid tests and plan B! Mutual aid FTW!

Best LGBTQA bookstore and safe space in NYC. They have alot of helpful resources and a bathroom and also a place to relax and drink coffee from their cafe.

Been here a couple of times in the past few months. I appreciate the sense of community and safety that is instantly felt when walking into the store. I love that it truly is a place that prioritizes giving back to the community. They have a single stall restroom, which is nice and clean. The books are great and the zines are always interesting! I’ve yet to try to cafe but my friends did and they had a good experience. This place makes me want to be a reader! The reading/sitting area is so nice. They also provide free masks at the front, since they are required! Definitely check it out and support an amazing locally and queer owned business.

This is the experience I have had since Covid! The person behind the counter was nice and kind. Its a gorgeous space with magnificent murals! As I was trying to dissect and understand a quote on one of the murals, an immensely kind person with the best energy ever explained who Anais Nin is and their history. This person put the quote in perspective for me and I left feeling so much richer because of this interaction. Thank you Blue Stockings, I look forward to buying ALL my books from you from now on. You have helped me become the person I wish to be. In addition, Blue stockings does such great work for vulnerable communities and NYC. I am thrilled you are here. Thank you!

This place is all about building community through a community of readers--it's not just about books, it's about keeping people from going hungry in a world famished for warmth and interaction. Bluestockings can put a book in your hand, a drink in your mouth, and provide you with the key sustenance of conversation, besides.

Excellent selection of radical books from just about any field you can think of. The curation and browsability of the shelves means you'll always leave having discovered some interesting new topic or author you hadn't heard of before, even in subjects you're familiar with. Bluestockings is worker-owned, and everyone is incredibly friendly and helpful. I can't wait until they get back to hosting events!

I was in the Lower East Side looking for a nice place to get some work done after lunch at Davelle a few buildings down, and I found Bluestockings on Yelp! I went inside to scope out the book & paper goods selection and picked up some postcards, stickers, and a paperback book, then headed to the back to get to work. The staff were all very kind, and I loved the selection of books they had! I'm also very appreciative to the fact they support the LGBTQ+ community in many different ways. From risk reduction, to educational books, free supplies, fostering a safe space, and more, Bluestockings is doing a lot of admirable things for the community! I wasn't able to try the drinks, but I'm sure they're great! I'll be back if I'm ever in the area wanting to pick up a cool book or get work done. Keep doing great things, Bluestockings!

Probably the best bookstore in all the land! Their staff are the nicest humans I've ever met- so knowledgeable about books, their community, and mutual aid! I always stop in when I visit NY! Their selection is unique and diverse with zines and indie pub books, as well as traditionally published books I already know and love or have never heard of before! They focus on BIPOD and queer literature and it feels like home. They also have a coffee bar and place to sit in the back and a free little library! One of my favorite things they have is a bulletin board where you can pay forward/gift a book to someone who may need it more than you! I love them so much! An underrated NYC bookstore that deserves all the love!

This is an absolutely wonderful cafe. It's a great place to get a latte, buy fun gifts like books or tarot cards, and it even supplies free things such as fentanyl test strips, condoms, and lubricant. It's a 1-stop shop!

They serve great coffee and have fantastic books. They also serve the NYC area greatly with harm reduction programs and other educational activities.

Came with a colleague to express our support in any way we could and was faced with an incredibly rude and judgmental staff member. They said they would listen to our "spiel" and left us feeling disheartened and discouraged. Was a very disappointing attempt to support an organization with a good cause.

Love Bluestockings so much! Such an important asset to the community and have seen first hand while chilling at the shop how the people in the community benefit from the space. They're also incredibly nice and welcoming, both the people who volunteer there and the people who stop by. Not surprised by the "community" members who are harassing the workers and patrons because privileged nyc has always done this, but means we just gotta support Bluestockings even more!

I finally got a chance to visit this wonderful bookstore at their new location. This has always been my favorite bookstore and I have never been able to walk out of there without at least one new book. A wonderful selection of books and other reading material covering a full array of topics...... I am looking forward to returning there again soon, and maybe next time I will treat myself to one of their delicious vegan pastries too!

If you're a queer person or an ally that is looking to get more knowledgeable about queer history, the community, etc., this is the right place to go. There is so much literature that pertains to the intersectionality (how our identities intersect, in case you don't know) of the queer community. Plus, the employees are friendly and ready to help you to find any book that you want to read. A bonus is the drinks, especially anything that has lavender in it. If you want to directly support a queer-owned place in NYC, definitely bring your money to Bluestockings.

I love the selection, the very welcoming staff, and the great events. Best selection of fun and interesting and informative zines and buttons and comics. A great place that also cares about making sure there is a safe place to get narcan and has a goal of lifting marginalized voices.

Best set of intersectional queer and trans and sexuality books in NYC in an indy setting in lower Manhattan. Queer/trans/sexworker owned and operated. Great cafe, friendly fun staff and patrons.

Bluestockings is a mix of that hippie dippie political activist shop yet gets that modern witchy, feminist twist. A popular spot for those who still have a love for books. Especially the kinda books that might give you a second look on the subway. The book store also has another favorite, coffee. But regular coffee, no fancy drinks here. There are a couple small tables on the side where customers can drink coffee and read. In ordering coffee you will be tempted in the very cool large and small buttons. I ended up with a fully manicured nails with the saying "hard as nails". I love it! Can't wait to flare my jacket with it. The coffee is strong and the prefect beverage during the fall and winter season. I ended up having the same book that they sell "Witches, Sluts, Feminist" by Kristen J. Sollée And the woman next to me was also reading said book. I enjoyed that Blue Stockings knows what's up and coming but also keeps classics like Simone De Beauvoir "the woman destroyed". This is the perfect spot to find gifts for birthdays and also when the holidays are around the corner. Highly recommend stopping by and seeing what's new.

This super cool activist book store has coffee, condoms, art and all the books you need! I loved that I could find women's empowerment books, magical books, and sexuality books too! Drop in and enjoy some time checking out this rare book store that is so much more!

Man, this place is woke. I don't mean that sarcastically. Here, you'll find a ton of books written by people from historically marginalized backgrounds. And also a whole section for pagan/witchcraft books? Not my scene, but I know people who are into that. There's a coffee/tea shop, and they seem happy to let people just sit a spell and "sample" some books. Oh, and they're part "activist center" if that tells you anything.

I always try to make time to visit and support this wonderful and essential space. Consider stopping in or ordering online from them next time you need a book that will perhaps open/change/blow your mind.

You're supporting more than just authors when you shop here. Friendly and fun staff. It's great to put my money back into the community and people that need it more than the massive big businesses.

LES contains a radical community bookstore specifically for the feminine activist and advocate very non-corporate and volunteer powered. There are several tables and a few food items which I came for lemonade break cool down and to be briefly drawn into the whole feminist activism. In scanning through their book selection there are books on how-to-be a feminine activist, how to lead rallies and non-feminine activist fiction, sci-fi, magazine, and poetry books. Bookclub meetings, discussion groups, open-mic events specifically women activism in poetry, prose and song among the various events held at Bluestockings. There is also a small stationery selection of greeting cards but disappointedly no journals, no notebooks. Most of the books appeared sold "as is" used. This is not your traditional, old school bookstore. Very casual setting, very relaxed and comfortable atmosphere and, yes, men are welcomed. Bluestockings' bookmarks serve as dual bookmarks and as a business card with different variation designs. My lemonade $2.50 was refreshing for a cool down on a mild end of summer afternoon. Local volunteer owned and operated for the community.

Bluestockings is a volunteer-powered and collectively-owned radical bookstore, fair trade cafe, and activist center in the Lower East Side. It isn't huge, but it has a really interesting selection of books. We were exploring the Lower East Side for a day, and I realized I had never gone inside Bluestockings even though I'd passed it a million times. I'm glad we went in this time! I picked out a great book on gentrification to read on the airplane on the way home (you know, just some light reading). Great shop.

I've been looking for you for MANY years. You haven't presented yourself until now, but may I just say that the wait was worthwhile,...I'm talking about this absolute JEM of a bookstore. My boyfriend & I were right next door picking up a set of keys when...WHAT'S this glowing beauty?... It is one of the better bookstores in NY because of their unique book selections, displays, categories, staff & most importantly their ability to stay different by not selling a bunch of the top best sellers. After all, isn't that what online stores are for? This place makes you remember just why bookstores are important & what makes them stay. Cheers to your ever growing selection of goodie paperbacks. I'll be back for more!

Really love Bluestockings! It's a fantastic store that has such a great selection of items including books, art, zines, tote bags, stickers, and more! Their events schedule has a wide range of things on it as well. Before the pandemic, I used to love coming here to do work, drink coffee, buy books, and hang out with friends. I would encourage everyone to buy books from here instead of other stores!

While I love the idea of a volunteer-run bookstore, it leads to service that is unprofessional. I'm an aspiring author so was hopeful about dropping my environmental novel off at Bluestockings for consignment. After receiving a rejection notice, the staff was careless enough to leave their own internal memos in the returned copies, all of which had to do with the cover! They never even read a word! An employee named Janelle wrote: "haha! These will be gray in a week :( Also why do ppl think a white cover is a good idea." So since then, I've been dragging my copies around the city, trying to get the word out about climate change. I would direct New Yorkers to Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn, whose staff could not have been more gracious and helpful, and have also decided to list my book on Amazon here: http://a.co/gqRVSFv This is the only negative review I've ever written on Yelp.

Definitely my new favorite place. Wonderful selection, amazing diversity, funny coupons. Altogether an amazing atmosphere, friendly staff, and super inclusive!

Gay. I like this little spot a lot. A ton of feminist books and intersectional ones with disability which I really appreciate! Little tables (like too small maybe) to sit at and drink yo tea. They also sell tea. I feel calm here and like my people are around me. Bought a few books to support the place even though Buddha knows I have a stack at home that is threatening to fall over and crush someone any day now. Go. Visit. Be openly gay with your gay lover like I was. It's cool here. And there's a bathroom. Unrelated to previous statement, just saying it is a positive.

Absolutely 5/5 stars. The first time I walked into this bookstore, I fell in love, and have been back three times in the past two weeks. To say "bookstore," seems underwhelming, because Bluestockings is so much more! It's also a cafe (with $1 coffee!) and an event space, with events like "Ukulele for Social Change" and "Queer Socialist Meet-Ups." It's a body-positive, identity-affirming space, with book sections such as "Black Lives Matter" and "Black Politics." This bookstore inspires me in my own writing, and in my own social justice, advocacy, and activism journey. They even have a kids section! I bought my one-year-old goddaughter a book from here, and it's great to see support from the community in these ways. On a related note, it's also 100% volunteer based, which just makes it even more incredible. It really is fueled by advocacy and representation of queer folks and folks of color.

Wonderful bookstore / cafe. There are a lot of books here on feminism and I quickly found the book I was looking for. They also have a nice selection on witchcraft and my friend found a couple books she was interested in. The service is friendly. The coffee is pretty good. Overall, a wonderful place to visit and buy from.

I love the name of this bookstore. According to Google, Bluestocking means an intellectual or literary woman. I LOVE it! But of course it welcomes everyone who is interested, not solely women. Bluestockings is not your typical neighborhood bookstore. Their books address important social issues that are relevant in today's society. They have a lot of interesting books and the used ones are on sale. $10 for however many you wish to fill inside their paper bag. Here's hoping I can find time to read all 5 of them in 2017!

WHAT A TREASURE THIS BOOKSTORE IS. I literally googled "political bookstores" and it happened to be located in the coolest neighborhood in nyc. They stock the shelves with radical literature- topics like civil rights, nonviolent / violent protests, feminism, lgbt. They also have a neat collection of stationary, eclectic postcards, and politically charged posters. A brief conversation with the man who rung me up informed me that the store is ENTIRELY VOLUNTEER DRIVEN. Holy shit. They rotate between about 60 people. They started off as a bookstore for just feminist books but expanded in space and as well as topics. There are corkboards for interesting community events and infographs. This place may not be the newest or invested in with millions of dollars, but I am SO impressed by their sense of community.

While I love that this place carries a lot of conscious readings and has coffee for $1, I'm giving it three stars because of the guy behind the counter, who gave us an attitude because we didn't purchase enough to make their $8 credit card limit. I get why there is a minimum but there was no need to get upset over it and make us feel like we did something wrong. This type of service doesn't want to make people come back. Aggression towards customers is detrimental to a business, even when and esp when it's passive. It also makes people feel bad and not comfortable coming back. Businesses should get in the habit of creating truly safe and comfortable spaces esp those businesses who claim to be dedicated to conscious-raising. I will think it over several times before returning here. This is not a review to dissuade people from going here because it does have a good mission but feedback for staff and management.

I love going into a space and feeling hugged. Like the space alone, the hands that are molding it, the intentionality created this energy that oozes through every shelf, every post-it piece of love by the register, each nook and cranny. This space is essential! My go to spot when I'm in Nueva York and for online orders. A good place to honor your intersections and of course, the many other intersections we must do the work of learning, listening to, and celebrating. Thank you Bluestockings!!

Bluestockings is a wonderful place where you can grab a drink and a book, engage in some literary conversation, or go to a book event. It's a nice and cozy little place. This is definitely an ultra, uber feminist and queer-friendly bookstore. I stopped by today, after I got off from work, I decided to walk around the area. I was greeted by a friendly girl. She was very polite and very knowledgeable about the book selections available, they even have a small sections of books in Spanish. I was looking for an specific book from black author James Baldwin. After going around the aisles, I ended up with two books from author Junot Diaz instead. Very satisfied with my purchases. I'm definitely coming back. It's good to support small businesses, besides Strand bookstore, which I also love and support as well.

It's mostly a bookstore rather than a coffee & tea place. Very casual place. Nice to sit for a bit to wait someone or just pass some time. The cashier was very friendly but the tea was just plain. There was a hobo sitting there the whole time I was there. Not sure why the store allowed him inside.

If any part of your college major includes the words Gender Studies, or if your Twitter feed is ridden with the hashtag #SJW, this is most likely your place of choice I do admire the fact that the entire establishment is volunteer-run, which I hope is a passionate trend for the new year, regardless of political ideologies. We can all agree that peanut butter cookies are the way forward in 2017. Vegan or not, grab a handful before you go.

One of my favorite book stores in NYC. Collectively run (all the employees are volunteers), and well stocked with books and zines on feminism, anarchism, radical politics, queer theory, and more. Really nice staff-I always feel welcomed and comfortable in this space. Bluestockings frequently has great free events open to the public-I have come here many times to see readings and guest speakers. It is inspiring to see a small independent business still surviving and encouraging community/activism in the ever gentrifying Lower East Side. Check this place out for unique reading material, and grab a cup of fair trade coffee or tea ($1) and a vegan treat to go with it.

This is the cutest little coffee shop located on Suffolk Street downtown. The barista was super friendly and my iced latte with almond milk was super smooth and delicious. Thanks!

I love Bluestockings! A real gem in this city of big box stores and Barnes & Nobel. This shop is run by volunteers and has an amazing selection of free-thinking books. Pretty big inside, so the selection is pretty large. Knowledgeable staff. There's also a little cafe inside.

Go to this feminist book store! You must! One of my favorite spots in NYC and definitely my favorite bookstore. I've gotten quite a few feminist and queer books here. And coffee and vegan snacks. And even a diva cup! Be sure to check out what events are happening too because they host some awesome readings and other community events.

Favorite Bookstore in all of NYC! "Speak up, this isn't a library!" I am very into how you can find a diverse audience in this bookstore and that they have areas labeled Feminisms, LatinX, Anarchism, and they have books spread out that I would not find elsewhere. Bluestockings is an extremely inclusive and safe space. People can be chatting on their phones, reading the newspaper, indulging in $1 coffee or eating vegan green tea cookies. It is an extremely comfortable area. They also have a restroom. The store also sells merchandise including clothing, shirts, Planned Parenthood trinkets and pins, mini Dali Lama Books, books on how to manage stress and anxiety, Zines, etc. You can purchase children's books here on gender identity, feminism, on the like.

AHHH!! This bookstore is amazing. This is the first place I've been to where I feel completely at home, comfortable, and safe {since graduating university}. Seriously, this is a judgment free zone, and you can strike up conversations at random and make new friends. This social justice driven book shop is a great place to continue those intellectual conversations and question norms without getting too quagmired in the academic discourse. Bring a book, and an open-mind :)

Power to the girls. Loved finding this little gem on a chilly Saturday afternoon. Stepped in to warm up with a cup of coffee and found a welcome reception, a girl-friendly environment, and a nice selection of feminist literature. Pop in and learn a few things, including a few things about yourself.

A MUST when visiting the city .. all kinds of rare, cool stuff and a great vibe!! So cute and fun .. interesting speakers!! Can't wait to visit again!!

Loveliest bookstore I've ever been to! Lots of books and media on queer subjects! A nice place to regain some warmth in the chillier months as well! And be sure to check out the groups they have! :)

Amazing. Went here for the first time ever. It is such a great chill place to look around, read a book and just be around non-judgemental, laid back people. Helps that their drinks are fairly cheap too. Went for their trans/gay open mic night where I heard spoken word artists and artists singing and it did not disappoint. Gotta say it was truly and seriously amazing to be there in the cafe and enjoy the amazing atmosphere that everyone was giving off. Can't wait to go back again for another one of their awesome themed nights.

I'm pretty much a feminist. I mean, we all want to end women's suffrage, right? But I think this might be my first experience with a feminist bookstore. And it was a good one. The staff is very sweet, and had no problem with me sitting and relaxing by the window for an hour or two, perusing the book selection and playing on my laptop. They even pretended not to notice when I was clearly seething with jealousy.* Basically, I love this little shop. You want reasons? I've got reasons. They have: 1. An appealing selection of books; I distracted myself with several short story anthologies that caught my eye. Also, $1 books outside. 2. Bottles of Poland Spring that are also only $1. 3. Comfy places to sit, coupled with great music. 4. The aforementioned sweet staff. 5. A cute dog that just wanders in and out. I'm not even sure if it's their dog, but I like that he moves around freely, and no one is bothered by this. 6. A comprehensive selection of magazines with attention-grabbing one-word titles. In no particular order: Bitch, Spread, Butt, Curve, Bust, etc. That's more reasons than I have for anything else that I do. _________ *That woman KNEW I felt inadequate for not being able to grow nearly as much leg and armpit hair as she clearly could. She didn't have to flaunt it like that.

Bluestockings brought me right back to my days as an undergraduate at a women's college; from the feminist book club advertised on the chalk board outside to the alternative menstrual products offered inside. If there's a better selection of books and tools in New York to help you challenge the Eurocentric, masculinist knowledge validation process and oppose all of the false assumptions undergirding the hegemonic paradigm, I'm not aware of it. That said, if you're on the hunt for the latest picks from Oprah's Book Club or a guide book for Buenos Aires this may not be your best bet.

This place is pretty good, and does a lot for its community. I am a fan of some of the events held here. My main gripe is the amount of work written by men, though...surely there are radical women of various backgrounds who have tackled Zizek, Foucault or Marx. I did like that the anarchism section had various books on women's unpaid labor, but I'd prefer to see that over philosophers whom, when given the mic to speak of women, can be incredibly harmful in their end result. Other than that the selection of zines is awesome too, so are the patches and pins. My cashier was a bit rude to me, but at the same time -WHY DO WOMEN HAVE TO SMILE ALL THE TIME- we don't, it was just a reminder.

I LOVE THIS BOOKSTORE!!! I was walking around the LES and randomly stumbled upon here. Browsing through the books, I realized there's a lot of social justice/activists books that I would totally read and study. Browsing through the titles, you realize this place is a wealth of knowledge. There's little tables to sit at inside. I was so excited to see all these interesting titles they have like NYC gentrification, human rights, LGBTQ+, gender, ethnicity etc. If you're into sociology, anthropology, human rights, foreign affairs, public policy, etc then this place is for you. If not, the titles are intriguing and unique enough to pique anybody's interest in learning something! Just come check this place out!!!

This is one of those places I will probably visit every time I'm in NYC. This time I ended up just buying an Ursula Le Guin novel, but they have a wide variety of nonfiction on a number of feminist and political topics as well, and I spent a while just browsing. I also really enjoyed their ceylon iced tea, which was a great refreshment on a hot summer day.

They put on a nice reading last night, an anthology of immigrants and children of immigrants experiences. My personal favorite was Dr Danusha Goska from William Paterson University in NJ.

Awesome Feminist and LGBTQ social justice book store. Some seats and great selection. Cheap coffee too. No pics sorry! Worth a stop if on lower east side.

Such a wonderful little bookstore! The staff is so sweet and willing to help, and the bookstore has any feminist related book you could ever want. On top of that they have zines, stickers and other fun little things - all at reasonable prices. I highly recommend checking them out, but give yourself some time because you'll want to browse every aisle!