Quimby’s Bookstore · 1854 W. North Ave · Chicago, IL 60622 · 773-342-0910

Category: news

  • 2011: The Revenge of Print

    Revenge of PrintWe’re tired of all the END OF PAPER, the END OF PUBLISHING AS WE KNOW IT stories. We’ve been hearing and reading about it ever since we’ve been open (which is going on almost 20 years now).

    So for 2011, we’re throwing a challenge out there. If you’ve ever made a zine or mini comic MAKE ONE MORE ISSUE. Come on, you’ve got one more in you! Maybe you were thinking in the back of your head you’d do another issue one day. Now is the time.

    Join the group for discussion and more plans. This is just the beginning.

    Quimby’s Bookstore is proud to help sponsor this challenge with our friends at Atomic Books in Baltimore, Xerography Debt and Zine World.

  • Pawn Works Sticker Machine Debuts at Quimby's!

    Nicholas Marzullo, owner of the West Side’s Pawn Works gallery and creator of the Pawn Works Sticker Club with New York based partner Seth Mooney, have developed an artist network program using sticker vending machines as the conduit. “We align the images we select with our own history as lifelong street- and graffiti-art aficionados,” he says. ” We believe the sticker is true to the accessibility and visceral nature of street/low-brow art. While it appeals to an age submerged in kitsch, the medium and the vending machines offer ways to deconstruct our childhoods and make the art of established artists from around the world accessible in a cool, cheap way.”

    Just a few of the artists participating include: C215, a prolific Paris-based stencil artist and muralist whose splashes of color and meticulous representation of social outcasts, British luminary Eelus, whose dark sense of humor and surreal images bear an uncanny resemblance to those of Banksy, Chicago’s Joe Padilla, as well as The Grocer, who is an an enigmatic street artist with his bold images of, appropriately enough, produce, help make the city Chicago an even bigger component to the project.

    Machines can also be found in various venues in New York City such as Brooklynite Gallery.

    For more info: www.pawnworkschicago.com

    IMG_7379IMG_7385IMG_7381

  • Weekly Top 10 and Banned Book Week Info

    1. Aurorarama by Jean-Christophe Valtat (Melville House)$25.95 – Jean-Christophe Valtat Read From Aurorarama on 9/22/10 here. Aurorarama is set in the glittering Arctic city of “New Venice,” Jean-Christoph Valtat’s Aurorarama imagines an intricate steampunk society populated with anarchists, hypnotists, rock stars, drug-addled bohemians, dapper secret police, and a secret society of subterranean garbage collectors. Sounds like our customers. Here’s a picture of him looking quite dapper himself.


    2. Brilliant Mistake #1 by Carrie $1.00 – What a gem of a debut zine! Beautifully quilted together from bits of a questioning heart, Brilliant Mistake #1 pares down the aches of the social games we play. -EF
    3. Is It the Future Yet? by Corinne Mucha $3.00 – What does the future hold for you? Well, I predict you will fall madly in love with Corinne’s amazing new mini-comic, Is It the Future Yet?, which she made ‘specially for Quimby’s! I see you laughing out loud at the fresh psychic hijinx and time-travel schemes that grace every delightful page. I can see your love for this comic growing rich, deep, and strong and you will find it brings you much good luck and happiness as years go by…Yes, my friend, the future looks very bright indeed!
    4. Bitch #48 $5.95
    5. Baffler vol 2 #1 $12.00 – Featuring essays by Michael Lind on the emerging American oligarchy; Yves Smith on the mountainous self-regard of the American finance industry; Chris Lehmann on libertarianism’s willful failure to understand the economic crisis; Naomi Klein’s reflections on “branding” in American politics 10 years after her magnum opus, No Logo; Matt Taibbi on the howler of a memoir just published by a certain doltish Midwestern governor; plus ruminations on the ruination of Detroit, a very funny fantasy about rumbling with the personnages of the Western literary canon, and a clever story by Paul Maliszewski.
    6. Juxtapoz #117 Oct 10 $5.99
    7. Walking Dead TPB vol 12 Life Among Them by Robert Kirkman (Image) $14.99

    8. Letters I Will Never Send To You #4 by Morgan Inez $3.00 – Snippets and snappets jam packed in Morgan Inez’s castaway island of treasures. Found photos, ephemeras, rants and stories. A hearty garbage salad zine! Where did the Seaweed find a job? Ha. You’ll have to pick this zine up to get the punchline! -EF

    9. Proof I Exist #11 by Billy $1.00 – Get your fix now! He’s a-movin’ to Santa Fe! Serious!

    10. V Magazine #67 Fall 10 $7.50

    Also! Join us in honoring Banned Books Week – Celebrating the Freedom to Read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. The challenges have occurred in every state and in hundreds of communities. Click here to see a map of book bans and challenges in the US from 2007 to 2009.  This annual event reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted. Banned Books Week is endorsed by The Library of Congress Center for the Book and sponsored by various associations including the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the American Library Association(ALA) and the American Society of Journalists and Authors. Stay tuned this week as we feature our first guest blogger, Julie Halpern, the writer behind the books Get Well Soon (which was originally a zine sold here at Quimby’s) and Into The Wild Nerd Yonder.

  • Quimby's Makes the Top 10 Stores on Flavorwire!

    Flavrwire2010

    Props to Flavorwire.com readers and staff for mentioning Quimby’s as one of their favorite indie shops around the country! And we didn’t even know they were taking this picture. Read about it here!

  • New Stuff This Week

    We have almost 100 new items this week, and this is only a sampling! But first, we found this sad little gummi bear right outside of the store, just laying there, all sad and lonely. Won’t you come say hi?

    IMG_7388

    ZINES!
    Meat #1 by Adrian Lourie $20.00
    Attitude Dancer – An Advanced Coloring Book by REAS (Iconoclast) $6.00
    Gold Friend by Misaki Kawai (Iconoclast) $16.00
    Architecture of a Nameless World by Matt Leines (Nieves) $10.00
    Mystery & Adventure Series Review #43 by Fred Woodworth $3.00
    Abort #23 Summer 2010 121 Gigawatts $3.00
    Dirt Palace 10 Year Anniversary Zine – Bienvenue $10.00
    Prison for Bitches by Ryan Sands and Michael Deforge $10.00     – A zine dedicated to Lady Gaga, with contributions from such artsty folks as Kupperman, Johnny Ryan, Lisa Hanawalt and more. A true fanzine made by Gaga monsters!

    COMICS & MINICOMICS!
    Feedback #8 $2.00
    So Buttons #3 Presents So Horrorble $5.00 – A collection featuring all sorts of artists, ed. by Jonathan Michael Baylis. And! Some sinister sea lions!!!
    Boobs by Sam Sharpe $3.00 – Right to the point.
    Neely Covers Comics To Give You The Creeps Collectors Edition by Tom Neely $6.00
    Buzzpop #4 Jun 10 by Matt Chicorel (Night Light Comics) $4.00
    Dinosaur Time Okay #1 Sep 10 by Matt Chic (Night Light Comics) $2.00
    CBGB #3 (Boom) $3.99

    GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS!
    Prison Pit Book 2 by Johnny Ryan (Fantagraphics) $12.99     – Just as grody as ever. And you will like it.
    Love and Rockets New Stories vol 3 by the Hernandez Brothers (Fantagraphics) $14.99
    Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence by Geoffrey Canada and Jamar Nicholas (Beacon) $14.00
    Bound and Gagged #1 (I Will Destroy You) $10.00     – Featuring lots of alternative comics superstars like Deitch, Espy, Kaz, Nilsen, Porcellino, Reklaw and more!
    Girl Genius vol 9 Heirs of the Storm by Phil and Kaja Foglio (Airship) $22.95
    Too Soon Famous Infamous Faces 1995-2010 by Drew Friedman (Fantagraphics) $29.99
    Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography by Jacobson and Colon (HW) $16.95

    ART & DESIGN BOOKS!
    Street Art Doodle Book Outside the Lines by Dave the Chimp (Laurence) $19.95
    Modern Patterns of Japan Sweet and Nostalgic Paper Kimono and Old Clothing by Yonagadou (PIE Books) $19.95     – Seals with beach balls! Pudgy gnomes! Pointy cute things! I heart rags. -LM
    Threadless: Ten Years on TShirts from the Worlds Most Inspiring Online Design Community by Jake Nickell (Abrams) $22.50
    Creative Characters: The Myfonts Interviews vol 1 ed. by Jan Middendorp (Bis) $32.00 – Featuring the first two years of Myfonts’ popular series of monthly type designer interviews.
    I Am Plastic Too: The Next Generation of Designer Toys ed. by Budnitz and Kidrobot (Abrams) $45.00
    Picture Book Mini Edition Contemporary Illustration by Angus Hyland (Laurence) $16.95
    Nobodys Fool by Yoshitomo Nara (Abrams) $60.00     – Remember all those fun shirts and ashtrays a few years ago with white doggies and little girls with big eyes? There might have been some swears too. That guy. People LOVE him. But! This book is a little spendy for us, so that means that we only have ONE copy. Come and get it!
    Adios III ed. by Konsta Ojala $35.00

    FICTION!
    Diary of an Innocent by Tony Duvert (Semiotext(e)) $17.95

    DIY & CONSUMPTION (Um, Consumption As In Food and Drugs)
    Natural Kitchen: Your Guide to the Sustainable Food Revolution by Eden Deborah Tull (Process) $17.95
    Drinkology: The Art and Science of the Coctail by var. (STC) $22.50 – Revised and updated.

    MAGAZINES!
    Juxtapoz #117 Oct 10 $5.99
    Maximumrocknroll #330 Fall 10 $4.99
    Wire #319 Sep 10 $10.99
    A bunch of tattoo mags!
    Extra vol 23 #9 Sep 10 $4.95
    Radical Philosophy #163 $13.00
    XLR8R #135 $4.99
    Ready Made #49 Oct Nov 10 $4.99
    Laphams Quarterly vol 3 #4 Fall 10 $15.00
    Skunk vol 6 #4 $5.99
    Cemetery Dance #64 $5.00
    True Crime Sep 10 $8.99
    Dwell Oct 10 $5.99
    IdN vol 17 #4 $17.50
    Wallpaper Oct 10 $9.50

    LITERARY JOURNALS & CHAP BOOKS
    Avery Anthology #6 $10.00
    Brothers Love by Ronald Merritt $15.00

    MAYHEM & OUTER LIMITS!
    Englishman Who Posted Himself and Other Curious Objects by John Tingley (Princeton) $24.95

    MUSIC BOOKS!
    Toy Instruments: Design Nostalgia Music by Eric Schneider and DJ Spooky (MB) $19.95     – Eye candy for you circuit benders.

    POLITICS & REVOLUTION!
    Anti American Manifesto by Ted Rall (Seven Stories) $15.95
    Last Genet: A Writer in Revolt by Hadrien Laroche (Arsenal) $22.95

    SEX & SEXY!
    OP Original Plumbing #4 Trans Male Quarterly The Workin Stiff Issue $8.00
    Alt #2 $9.95
    Sweets Magazine vol 3 #14 $5.99
    Von Gutenberg #3 $19.99
    Teens At Play: Naughty Naughty by Rebecca (Eros) $9.95
    Love Selection TPB by Kisaragi Gunma (Dark Horse) $18.99
    International Homosexual Conspiracy by Larry Bob Roberts (Manic D) $14.95     – From the creator of Holy Titclamps.

  • Love In the Photobooth

    These nice photographers from Colombia, Juan Felipe and Valeria got arty with our photobooth, and we just couldn’t resist posting their pictures on our blog!

    juanfelipe+valeria

    And then these nice folks came in to take pictures for their wedding invites but the machine ate ’em up and never spit ’em out! But here they are. And now we can’t find their contact info! So, nice people, here are your photos! Do you know these people? Pass on the info that their pics are here!

    happy

  • Matt Bergstrom Kickstarter Project

    VideoTitle_2.small

    Local mad scientist Matt Bergstrom is constantly coming up with projects that straddle the border between whimsical interest in our city and extremely exact math.  He’s created the Build Your Own Chicago Postcards, miniature cardboard scale model kits of Chicago landmarks. On posters, he’s measured and documented the city’s tallest buildings and its doors designed by Louis Sullivan.  He’s also documented the city’s Route 66 landmarks, the motels on Lincoln Ave, and the area’s hot dog stands in 3D View-master reels.

    NOW MATT NEEDS YOUR HELP!

    Matt is set to release a new series of 3D Viewmaster reels documenting abandoned buildings in Chicago, and has set up a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds to make it happen.  Consider supporting this odd documentarian of our fair city.

    Check out his Kickstarter campaign: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1709368454/american-ruins-in-3d

  • SOUVENIR Button-O-matic Opening at Busy Beaver Button Co

    souvenir_assrtmt

    Busy Beaver Button Co. celebrates fifteen years of making custom buttons for bands, artists and organizations with the Grand Opening of a pop culture Button Museum and a new Button-O-matic series for vending machines across the country appropriately themed “SOUVENIR.”

    The SOUVENIR collection is curated by participating Button-O-matic locations, including Cody Hudson for the Empty Bottle, Tae Won Yu for Land, Angela Finny-Hoffman for Post 27, Edie Fake for Quimby’s, Supercorn for Fly Bird, Joe Lauer for Penelope’s, Chris Corbalis for Strange Cargo, Jason Hammel for Lula Café, Russell Etchen for Domy, Melissa Grubbs for Reckless Records, Soo Choi for Little Branch Cafe, Mei Stewart for Art Supply Warehouse, Alicia Hermanny for Uncle Fun, and Brett Manning for Busy Beaver Button Co.

    Join Busy Beaver to celebrate at an opening party with the world’s largest Button-O-matic vending machine filled with 10,000 souvenir buttons, and a showcase of treats from Busy Beaver Button Co. customers like Nice Cream, the Pepperoni King, and Upton’s Naturals.

    What:   SOUVENIR Button-O-matic Opening
    When:  Friday, September 10 from 7-10PM
    Where: Busy Beaver Button Co., 3279 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL 60647

    For more info: http://www.busybeaver.net/

  • Local Comics Ladies Nominated For 2010 Ignatz Awards!

    2010 Ignatz Award Nominees were announced, and three of them are wonderful local lady artists here in Chicago!

    The Ignatz recognizes exceptional work that challenges popular notions of what comics can achieve, both as an art form and as a means of personal expression. It’s a festival prize that gets awarded at SPX, the Small Press Expo (SPX), in Maryland in mid-September.

    The Chicago local ladies nominated for awards are:

    Laura Park, nominated for Outstanding Story for her untitled piece in Mome vol 16 (Fantagraphics).

    lauramome

    Lilli Carre is nominated for Outstanding Mini-Comic for Don’t Drink From the Sea.

    Sea_1

    Sarah Becan is nominated for Outstanding Online Comic for I Think You’re Sauceome.
    sau
    Congratulations, artists!

    Click here for a full list of 2010 Ignatz Award Nominees.

  • Work in Progress Tonight!

    uncleenvelope024Come to Quimby’s tonight at 7pm for Work in Progress!

    If you’re unfamiliar with Work In Progress, it’s our monthly creative and social get-together.  Bring projects you’re working on, and you can get feed back, give feed back to others, or just work in a social atmosphere.  We usually have some snacks too!

    Work In Progress happens at 7pm on the last Wednesday or every month, and is designed to help foster the self-publishing community of Chicago.