Toronto Women's Bookstore

Toronto Women's Bookstore was a nonprofit feminist bookstore in Toronto, Ontario, and was described as the largest bookstore of its kind in Canada before it closed on November 30, 2012. Its origins lay in the early 1970s, when a single shelf of books was established inside a women's resource centre on Dupont Street. It became a full bookstore in 1973 at a Kensington Market location, where it was connected with other feminist community initiatives, including a feminist printing press and a self-defence collective. The store's central purpose was both commercial and political. It sold fiction, poetry, scholarly works, and nonfiction by women writers, while placing particular emphasis on feminist, anti-racist, anti-oppression, disability, health, sexuality, and women's-history publications. The business was primarily run and staffed by women of colour, and its inventory and programming reflected an effort to serve communities that were often underrepresented in mainstream bookstores. Later sections of the shop highlighted African-Canadian, Caribbean, South Asian, First Nations, Latina, and Arab women writers and subjects. The bookstore's history included two attacks associated with the neighbouring abortion clinic operated by Henry Morgentaler. On July 29, 1983, an accidental firebombing aimed at the clinic nearly destroyed the bookstore. The resulting merchandise loss, delayed insurance payment, and interruption to operations created serious financial pressure. A supporter-oriented “Fire Sale,” involving fire-damaged stock, generated enough capital to help the store reopen at 73 Harbord Street. A second firebombing of Morgentaler's clinic in May 1992 caused more limited damage to the bookstore. By 1993, competition from large chain bookstores had pushed the business into a loss, reflecting a broader crisis among independent and feminist bookstores. Toronto Women's Bookstore responded by reorganizing its operations, broadening its selection, increasing community outreach, and hosting more readings, launches, book clubs, and related events. A Jobs Ontario Community Action Grant contributed to the turnaround, and the store subsequently stopped losing money. Its proximity to the University of Toronto also gave it a substantial academic market: it supplied difficult-to-find and required texts for anthropology, sociology, women's studies, and women's-history courses. Student course-book sales were reported to account for approximately two-thirds of total sales. The store's role as an academic supplier became especially visible during the University of Toronto bookstore workers' strike in 2000. Some professors moved required course texts to Toronto Women's Bookstore in solidarity with the striking workers, and some reportedly continued using the alternative retailer after the strike ended. Alongside bookselling, the shop offered author signings, book launches, book clubs, and courses on topics including knitting, writing, and bisexuality. The business ultimately faced structural pressures from online bookselling, the growth of ebooks, and the economic effects of the Great Recession. These challenges, combined with the changing retail environment for independent bookstores, led to closure on November 30, 2012. Its legacy is that of a community institution combining feminist publishing and bookselling with anti-oppression politics, activist networks, education, and access to specialized literature.

The Toronto Women's Bookstore emerged from Toronto's feminist community infrastructure in the early 1970s. It began informally as a single shelf of books at a women's resource centre on Dupont Street. In 1973, the project became a bookstore in Kensington Market, where it operated alongside related feminist initiatives, including a printing press and a self-defence collective. From the beginning, it served more than a conventional retail function: it provided access to feminist literature, created space for women writers and readers, and supported broader anti-oppression politics. The store was nearly destroyed on July 29, 1983, when an accidental firebombing aimed at the neighbouring abortion clinic of Henry Morgentaler struck the bookstore. The incident caused major merchandise losses and forced an interruption in operations. A slow insurance settlement and delays in reopening placed considerable strain on its finances. Supporters organized a Fire Sale, selling merchandise damaged in the blaze, and the proceeds supplied enough working capital for the bookstore to reopen at 73 Harbord Street. In May 1992, a second firebombing attack on Morgentaler's clinic caused more limited damage to the bookstore. During the early 1990s, Toronto Women's Bookstore faced the same commercial pressures affecting many independent booksellers. By 1993, competition from large chain bookstores had pushed it into a loss. The store responded by reorganizing its business and widening its inventory beyond its established feminist and women's-literature focus. New or expanded areas included anti-racism, feminist theory, disability, and health. It also intensified outreach through readings, book launches, and book clubs. A Jobs Ontario Community Action Grant helped support the recovery, and the business subsequently stopped losing money. The store increasingly emphasized books for visible minority women. Its organization of stock included sections devoted to African-Canadian, Caribbean, South Asian, First Nations, Latina, and Arab subjects and writers. The store was primarily run and staffed by women of colour, reinforcing its role as an institution concerned with representation and access as well as sales. Its location near the University of Toronto created an important academic customer base. The bookstore supplied required or specialized texts for courses in anthropology, sociology, women's studies, and women's history. Student course books reportedly accounted for about two-thirds of its total sales. In 2000, a strike by workers at the University of Toronto bookstore led some professors to move their required texts to Toronto Women's Bookstore as an act of solidarity. Some continued to use the store for course materials after the strike ended, strengthening a relationship that had already become central to the business. Beyond retail, the bookstore hosted book clubs, readings, launches, and author signings. It also organized courses on subjects such as knitting, writing, and bisexuality. These activities made the shop a meeting place and educational venue for Toronto's feminist and literary communities. The business nevertheless encountered the structural changes transforming book retail. The growth of online retailers and ebooks reduced the advantages of a specialized physical store, while the Great Recession added broader economic pressure. Toronto Women's Bookstore closed on November 30, 2012. Its historical importance lies in the combination of nonprofit bookselling, feminist publishing culture, anti-oppression politics, academic service, community organizing, and support for writers and readers whose work was often poorly represented by mainstream retailers.

• 2012

  Bookstore closes

  [1]Toronto Women's Bookstoreen.wikipedia.org

  The store ceases operations on November 30 amid pressure from digital publishing, online retail, and the recession.

• 2005

  Recognized as Toronto's Best Bookstore

  [1]Toronto Women's Bookstoreen.wikipedia.org

  NOW Magazine names the store Best Bookstore in Toronto.

• 2000

  University strike expands academic business

  [1]Toronto Women's Bookstoreen.wikipedia.org

  Professors redirect required course texts to the bookstore during a University of Toronto bookstore workers' strike.

• 1993

  Operations are reorganized

  [1]Toronto Women's Bookstoreen.wikipedia.org

  The store responds to chain-store competition by broadening its inventory, increasing outreach, and using community programming to restore financial stability.

• 1992

  Second firebombing causes moderate damage

  [1]Toronto Women's Bookstoreen.wikipedia.org

  Another attack on the neighbouring clinic damages the bookstore less severely than the 1983 incident.

• 1983

  Firebombing severely damages the bookstore

  [1]Toronto Women's Bookstoreen.wikipedia.org

  An attack intended for the neighbouring abortion clinic nearly destroys the store and causes major merchandise losses.

• 1983

  Reopens at 73 Harbord Street

  [1]Toronto Women's Bookstoreen.wikipedia.org

  A supporter-organized Fire Sale helps provide the funds needed to resume operations at a new location.

• 1973

  Bookstore opens in Kensington Market

  [1]Toronto Women's Bookstoreen.wikipedia.org

  A project that began as a shelf in a women's resource centre becomes a bookstore in Kensington Market, connected with other feminist community initiatives.

A nonprofit, community-oriented feminist bookstore positioned as an alternative to mainstream chain retailers. It combined specialized bookselling with feminist politics, anti-oppression activism, support for women writers, academic access, and community programming.

• Books

  Feminist literature

  The store's core selection included feminist fiction, poetry, theory, and nonfiction by women writers. It functioned as a specialist alternative to mainstream booksellers by maintaining shelf space for feminist writing and political analysis.

• Books · 1993

  Anti-racism and anti-oppression books

  Following its 1990s reorganization, the bookstore expanded its stock in anti-racism and anti-oppression, with particular attention to writing by and about communities frequently underrepresented in commercial publishing.

• Academic books

  Academic course texts

  Located near the University of Toronto, the store supplied required and hard-to-find texts for anthropology, sociology, women's studies, and women's-history courses. Course-book sales formed a major part of its business.

• 1992

  Second firebombing attack

  A further firebombing of Morgentaler's clinic caused moderate damage to the bookstore.

  Source

• 1983

  Firebombing connected to attack on abortion clinic

  An accidental firebombing intended to target Henry Morgentaler's neighbouring abortion clinic nearly destroyed the bookstore and disrupted its operations.

  Source

Read more

• 1983Fire Sale

  Toronto

  After the 1983 firebombing, the bookstore sold merchandise damaged in the fire to supporters of its feminist and community mission.

  Outcome. The proceeds provided enough capital to help the bookstore reopen at 73 Harbord Street.

  Source

• 2012

  Closes after prolonged retail pressuresOther

  Background

  The bookstore faced the rise of ebooks and online book retailers as well as economic pressure associated with the Great Recession.

  Action taken

  The organization ended bookstore operations on November 30, 2012.

  Aftermath

  The physical bookstore became defunct, although its archival documents remain represented in the Rise Up! Feminist Digital Archive.

  Source

• 2000

  Serves as an alternative academic bookseller during university strikeStrategy

  Background

  Workers at the University of Toronto bookstore went on strike, and some professors sought to support them by moving required texts elsewhere.

  Action taken

  Toronto Women's Bookstore retailed course books withdrawn from the university bookstore.

  Aftermath

  Some professors reportedly continued to use the store for required texts after the strike ended.

  Source

• 1993

  Broadens inventory and community programmingStrategy

  Background

  Competition from large chain bookstores had contributed to a loss, while independent bookstores across the sector faced similar pressure.

  Action taken

  The store expanded holdings in anti-racism, feminist theory, disability, health, and writing by visible minority women, while increasing readings, launches, book clubs, and community outreach.

  Aftermath

  With support from a Jobs Ontario Community Action Grant, the bookstore turned around its operations and stopped losing money.

  Source

1. 1Toronto Women's Bookstoreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Toronto Women's Bookstore Archival Documents in Rise Up! Feminist Digital Archiveriseupfeministarchive.ca