Save our feminist bookstore!
Saturday's benefit show at Frank's Power Plant will help bring back Broad Vocabulary
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When Bay View feminist bookstore Broad Vocabulary announced last November that it was closing, community members almost immediately began rallying to bring it back from the dead. Now a group of local activists, artists, and musicians have teamed up to form A Broader Vocabulary Cooperative, which is attempting to re-open the store. Decider spoke with board member Annie Weidert to discuss the co-op’s progress in advance of a benefit show Saturday at Frank’s Power Plant.
Decider: How close are you to re-opening Broad Vocabulary?
Annie Weidert: Well, there was a big response initially, and people were like, “Gosh, I didn’t even know that Broad Vocabulary was in trouble.” The funding model we had before, just trying to make money off of sales of books, just wasn’t sustainable. The whole publishing industry is changing, and even big stores like Borders are going under. The coop does exist right now as an organization; we just don’t have a technical home. It exists as a community of supporters. We’ve already been able to do the sort of activities that we hope we’d be doing once we do have a space. We want to be a space to meet people where it’s not a bar, a space to meet people who are like-minded, and where people can do community networking, but also inspired by certain quote, unquote ideals.
D: Since Broad Vocabulary's closing last November, there’s been a number of small business closings in Milwaukee. What gives the board the confidence to reopen Broad Vocabulary in the current economic climate?
AW: We’re going to keep the costs low by not buying as many new books, because that’s really not what’s selling right now, anyway. As a cooperative, we have a vision for more of a community hub. The community actually wants to support us with the buy-in membership and things like that. It’s a different funding model and you can support yourself with fundraisers and events. We’ve been getting a lot of good advice from the Riverwest Co-Op.
D: What’s your hope for Broad Vocabulary moving forward?
AW: Broad Vocabulary has always been more than just a bookstore. It’s a place that nurtures community, learning, and dialogue. We would like to expand and strengthen the kinds of opportunities the bookstore can provide as a supportive venue that nurtures independent thought, the sharing of ideas, community networking and project-organizing, and educational opportunities.
