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Bluestockings Cooperative Shutters Storefront, Plans Year-End Wind-Down After 26 Years

Leaders cite unsustainable debt, burnout and structural strain, with orders fulfilled online through December.

Overview

  • The Lower East Side feminist bookstore and community hub closed its Suffolk Street location and will wrap up business by the end of 2025.
  • Remaining funds from WithFriends, GoFundMe and other channels will be used to settle debts, pay vendors and compensate staff handling the transition.
  • Workers previously reported nearly $100,000 owed to publishers and distributors after years of financial strain, despite a summer fundraiser that brought in about $65,000.
  • An internal dispute has surfaced, with some active staff saying they were not consulted and that the decision was not a consensus, a claim the legal owners dispute.
  • The co-op’s role as a harm-reduction and mutual-aid site drew landlord warnings in late 2023 over alleged unauthorized medical activity and safety issues, reflecting broader neighborhood tensions.