- Masks are required on high traffic days: Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays.
- Masks are strongly encouraged on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays. Read more about our Covid Policy.
- We are closed on Mondays, but offer curbside pickup on Mondays from 11 am to 5 pm.
- Interested in a private shopping appointment? Find out more HERE.
1. What’s a feminist bookstore—do you only sell books by women? Women & Children First believes in the liberation of people of all genders, and chooses to actively showcase and uplift literary work that is written by people who find themselves living most precariously under patriarchy. This is to say we carry books written by men, women, and people who are neither, and we choose to celebrate and carry more books written by trans people, non-binary people, and women. Content is just as key as identity. We curate toward a feminist ideology keeping in mind things like how authors conduct themselves in their relationships with trans people, non-binary people and women as well as how they portray these identities in their writing. If you find that we no longer carry books by authors who, for example, have been transphobic or abusive to women, we are not banning these voices, but choosing not to include them in our curation of feminist texts. We believe what we carry in-store to be a direct representation of our politics. If you're interested in learning more about the origin and history of the bookstore, click HERE.
2. Are you hiring? We are not actively hiring at this time, but we are always accepting applications. You can apply here: job application. Once we receive your application, we'll contact you if we'd like to set up an interview. Please note, we hold applications for one year. Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming number of applications we receive, we're unable to respond to everyone! Thank you for your interest in joining our team.
3. Is your store wheelchair accessible, including bathrooms? Our store is wheelchair accessible, and as of 2020, we have a newly installed accessible restroom. We have LED lighting that is adjustable with dimmers. For events, seating is first-come, first-served, but we are happy to reserve seats for people with disabilities. Please call the store at 773-769-9299 the day of the event if you need a reserved seat or have additional questions.
4. Do you offer donations for raffles and other fundraisers? We offer ten $25 gift certificates per month to charitable organizations. We distribute these on a first come first serve basis. You or someone from your organization will need to come to the bookstore IN PERSON and show us some documentation about the fundraiser in order to be provided with one. Due to high demand, we are unable to put certificates on hold. If you are unable to come in soon, we'll have 10 more certificates available on the first of every month. We strongly recommend coming in on the first of the month so that you'll be first in line!
5. Will you sell my self-published book / Do you take books on consignment? Women & Children First carries a small number of self-published books on consignment. We primarily accept titles by local authors and artists, especially those books that have a strong feminist, queer, or political focus. To have your title considered, you should come to the store on a weekday – no weekends please! - with a copy of your book, zine, or chapbook for a staff member to assess. If we think it’s a good fit for us, we will have you fill out a consignment agreement and we will take 2-3 copies to stock on our shelves. If it sells, you will receive 60% of the cover cost, paid out either in cash or check based on the dollar amount. We do not assume responsibility for your book and you will need to follow up with us if you believe it has sold. *Please note that we do not accept any titles published through CreateSpace, the Amazon self publishing platform.* We also take on very few consignment titles, so if we decline to stock the book our decision is final but do not be discouraged – there may be a better fit for you elsewhere! Due to the volume of requests we receive, not all emails or requests will receive a response, and any book sent to us for review will not be returned.*
6. What's your return policy? We offer store credit or exchange for items in saleable condition only. We do not offer cash refunds. Prepaid Special Orders cannot be returned for store credit or exchanged. All online orders are final sale.
7. Do I need a ticket to attend an event? All of our events are free and open to the public unless otherwise stated in the event description listed on our website. If we are hosting an event at an off-site venue, it is likely ticketed.
8. How do I have an event at the bookstore? In order to propose an event at Women & Children First, please complete THIS FORM. If we think it is a good fit for our bookstore, we will respond to you in a timely manner. Unfortunately, due to the number of proposals we receive, we are unable to respond to every request. Before proposing an event, we encourage you to learn about the history of Women & Children First and its mission when considering whether or not we are the best venue for your event.
9. Do you have a parking lot? Yes! It is behind the store and the entrance is on Farragut. Street parking is also free on Sundays.
10. Can I make a large or bulk purchase through your store? (More than 10 titles or more than 10 copies of a single title)
Absolutely! For more information about large or bulk orders, head HERE.
11. Can Women & Children First be the bookseller for my event?
Women & Children First often acts as the bookseller at other organizations’ events. Visit our offsite sales event page HERE for more information.
12. Does Women & Children First partner with schools and educators?
Yes! For more information, visit our school partnerships page HERE.
13. Do you welcome dogs inside the store? Yes! Dogs are welcome inside the store.
Photo Credit: Kathleen HInkel