Amazon Bookstore Cooperative

{{Short description|Feminist bookstore in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States}}

{{Infobox company

|name = Amazon Bookstore Cooperative

|image = True Colors Bookstore (formerly Amazon Bookstore) cropped.jpg

|image_size = 300px

|image_caption = The store in 2011 with "True Colors" on the window and "Amazon Bookstore" above it

|type = Worker cooperative

|genre =

|fate =

|foundation = 1970

|founder = Rosina Richter Christy
Julie Morse Quist

|defunct = 2012

|location_city =

|location_country =

|area_served = Minneapolis, Minnesota

|key_people =

|industry = Bookselling

|products =

|services =

|members =

|num_employees =

|homepage = [https://web.archive.org/web/20090517041315/http://www.truecolorsbookstore.com/ truecolorsbookstore.com]

}}

Amazon Bookstore Cooperative was a feminist bookstore located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that operated from 1970 to 2012. It was the only lesbian/feminist bookstore in the U.S.at some point, but certainly not at its beginning.Pulley, Anna (2012-08-10). [http://blogs.sfweekly.com/exhibitionist/2012/08/10_fun_facts_lesbian.php "10 Fun Facts You Didn't Know About Lesbians"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812202246/http://blogs.sfweekly.com/exhibitionist/2012/08/10_fun_facts_lesbian.php |date=2012-08-12 }} Blogs.sfweekly.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-27. The shop was named after the Amazons, a mythological tribe of fierce and independent women. In 1994 Amazon.com was founded and within a year, problems started for Amazon Bookstore. Terms of a lawsuit by Amazon bookstore resulted in a small settlement,{{clarify |reason=How much is 'small'? Isn't 'small' a matter of opinion? Who paid who? |date=July 2023}} and a requirement that Amazon Bookstore go by the name 'Amazon Bookstore Collective' to reduce confusion with Amazon.com.{{cite magazine |last=Kirch |first=Claire |date=October 2003 |title=The Struggle Continues |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=11075240&site=ehost-live |magazine=Publishers Weekly |page=20 |volume=250 |number=41 |access-date=December 25, 2019 }}

Early years

In 1970 when Amazon was founded by Rosina Richter Christy and Julie Morse Quist, it was far from a full-fledged bookstore. The books were kept in the front room of the collective they lived in and books were only available from 3 to 6 PM or by special arrangement. This arrangement lasted for about two years before the book store moved to Minneapolis' Lesbian Resource Center and then migrated through a series of different storefront addresses. Working conditions were sometimes difficult and included an unsafe neighborhood and a building with no heat where pipes froze and people had to wear gloves inside the store.

Lawsuit

In 1999, the cooperative sued Amazon.com for trademark infringement. After sometimes acrimonious legal proceedings, the case was settled in November of that year, with Amazon Bookstore assigning its common law rights in the Amazon name to Amazon.com; and Amazon.com giving a license back to Amazon Bookstore Cooperative for use of the Amazon name.

True Colors

File:AmazonBookstore.jpg

The business announced that they were closing down at the end of June 2008, and buyers came forth to carry on the store as an independent bookstore. Ruta Skujins, with the help of her partner, Joann Bell, decided to take over the store. Transfer of the ownership of the store happened at the end of June, according to an e-mail sent by the store to customers on June 17.

In November 2008 it was announced that the store changed ownership and as a result, the Amazon name could not be used by the new owner as it was owned by Amazon.com. The new owner of the bookstore, Ruta Skujins, changed the name of the store to True Colors Bookstore, and both names were in use during the transition period. The bookstore began experiencing financial difficulties in late 2011, with the store closing in February 2012 due to this.{{cite news|last=Hertzel|first=Laurie|title=True Colors bookstore puts out a plea for help|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/blogs/135941753.html|access-date=October 20, 2012|newspaper=Star Tribune|date=December 20, 2011|archive-date=February 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213222543/http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/blogs/135941753.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=The long climb back: A decision that forever changed bookstore owner's life|url=http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_21596612/one-decision-and-life-forever-changed|access-date=20 October 2012|newspaper=Pioneer Press|date=October 20, 2012|archive-date=26 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026132707/http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_21596612/one-decision-and-life-forever-changed|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/blogs/140316273.html|title=Saying goodbye to True Colors|newspaper=Star Tribune|first=Laurie|last=Hertzel|date=February 24, 2012|access-date=February 28, 2012|archive-date=February 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228165058/http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/blogs/140316273.html|url-status=live}}

Influence and significance

Amazon became "the oldest independent feminist bookstore in North America" and was probably "the oldest in the English speaking world". It had an impact that extended both beyond its immediate area and beyond the United States.

It also had a presence in popular culture. Cartoonist and graphic novelist Alison Bechdel was inspired to create the fictional Madwimmin Books in Dykes to Watch Out For based on experiences at the store.

References

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite news|last=Mieszkowski |first=Katharine |title=Battle of the Amazons |url=http://www.salon.com/1999/10/28/amazon_3/singleton/ |newspaper=Salon |date=October 28, 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618073515/http://www.salon.com/1999/10/28/amazon_3/singleton/ |archive-date=June 18, 2012 |url-status=live }}

{{Cite news|url=http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/article.php/232351|title=Amazon.com, Bookstore Settle Suit|date=1999-11-04|work=internetnews.com|url-status=dead|access-date=2006-07-07|archive-date=2006-10-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018024725/http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/article.php/232351}}

{{Cite news|url=http://www.amazonfembks.com/|title=True Colors Bookstore Newsletter|date=November 5, 2008|website=True Colors Bookstore|url-status=dead|access-date=December 6, 2004|archive-date=December 3, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041203005334/http://www.amazonfembks.com/}}

{{cite news|last=Ann|first= Mary|title=Pioneering True Colors feminist bookstore expected to close in February|newspaper=Saint Paul Pioneer Press|location=Saint Paul|date=December 27, 2011}}

Elledge, Jim (2010). [https://books.google.com/books?id=qp52mROzDMYC&pg=RA1-PA93&lpg=RA1-PA93 Queers in American Popular Culture, Volume 1] p. 93. Praeger. {{ISBN|978-0-313-35457-1}}.

{{cite news |title= Founding mothers: Twenty-five years at Amazon|first= Joan|last= Wallner|newspaper= Minnesota Women's Press|location= Saint Paul|date= January 25, 1995|pages= 19, 27}}

{{cite news |title= Amazon celebrates 20 years|first= Anda|last= Divine|newspaper= Minnesota Women's Press|location= Saint Paul|date= October 10, 1990|page= 7}}

{{cite journal |last= Anderson|first= Bev|date= September 14, 1990|title= Amazon bookstore celebrates 20 years|journal= Equal Time|issue= 220}}

{{cite news |title=Declaration of Independents |first=Dan |last=Heilman |newspaper=City Pages |location=Minneapolis |date=August 22, 1990 |pages=14–15 }}

}}