Hyde Park Bookstore Pioneering New Avenues For Booksellers
WDCB’s Gary Zidek visits the Seminary Co-op & 57th Street Books in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood to chat with the organization’s director of buying and content Alena Jones.
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“The margins on books are extremely slim, to run a good bookstore is quite a bit intellectural labor and quite a bit of physical labor. Going non-profit, allowed us to acknowledge we don’t make a profit. An old member put it really well, he said ‘if we are a profit-driven enterprise, we’ve failed, but no one would say the Seminary Co-op is failing, no one who walks into the store would say, this bookstore isn’t good. So, why don’t we redefine what success is?” - Seminary Co-op Bookstores director of buying & content Alena Jones talking about the store’s decision to become a not-for-profit organization.
Alena Jones, director of buying and content for Seminary Co-op Bookstores
It’s that time of the year, if you’re looking for a last-minute gift that also shows you put some thought into it, books are always a great option. And if you’re looking for a way to support local small businesses, independent book stores will definitely appreciate the support given the circumstances of the past 20 months. Booklovers have been making their way to Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood to shop at the Seminary Co-Op and 57th Street Books for decades. Both stores are not only revered in Chicago, but have fans across the world.
The Seminary Co-op is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, what began as a student effort to buy books at wholesale has turned into something much bigger.
A look inside the Seminary Co-op Bookstore
Former U.S. President Barack Obama is among the luminaries who is a member of the Seminary Co-op. In 2018, former First Lady Michelle Obama chose the Hyde Park bookstore to launch her book tour for her memoir, BECOMING.
A mini Obama shrine amidst the stack at the Seminary Co-op
You can check out the Seminary Co-op’s gift guide, 2021 Notables list and find out more information by visiting the store’s website at semcoop.com
Books!
