Category: store news

  • Quimby’s 2018 Zlumber Party 1/27-1/28

    Hey zinesters and comics artists! Come to our Zlumber Party (as in Zine Slumber Party)! This is the seventh year in a row we’re inviting you to come in and spend the night with us working on your zine, and start your year off with a creative frenzy! Get here at 9:30 on Sat, Jan 27th (the store closes at 10pm). Then spend the night here! Stay until 6am Sun, Jan 28th! (And yes, you can leave whenever you want before then if you want or need to.) So bring yer jammies and a sleeping bag, then leave in the morning with what you’ve been workin’ on! There will be snacks! And coffee!

    What: Zlumber Party 2018!

    When: Sat, Jan 27th, 9:30pm – Sun, Jan 28th, 6am

    Where: Here at Quimby’s Bookstore at 1854 W. North Ave, Chicago

    RSVP: Give us a holler so we have a head count and know how much pizza to order!: info(at)quimbys(dot)com.

    Invite your friends with the Facebook invite here.

    Helpful hints!

    *In terms of what to bring, definitely whatever project you’re working on, whether it’s a zine, a comic, a book, a magazine, an artist book — independent publishing knows no bounds!

    *Be here at 9:30pm (the store closes at 10pm). This is NOT a lock in; you can leave whenever you want. You can stay as late as 6am on sunday morning, which is the official end time for the event.

    *Wear comfy clothes! Don’t forget your sleeping gear! A sleeping bag if you wanna take a break to catch a few zzzz (or just be comfy), a pillow, footie pajamas, a blanket, slippers…whatever makes you comfy.

    *We’ll provide some snacks and coffee, but you may want to bring some snacks with you if you like. A good way to make new friends is bring food, is all we’re saying. If you have food sensitivities or allergies please bring whatever nourishment you need to bring to sustain you.

    *We’ll also provide some office supplies (papers, pens, scissors, staplers, that type of thing), chairs and tables.

    *One final note: Don’t feel pressured to feel like you have to finish whatever you’re working on before you leave. If you feel excited to work on your project once you’ve been working on it here, that you’ve started your 2018 off jazzed that you got the creative ball rolling, then we’ve done our job (that’s once of the reasons we do this event in January). When you’re all done with your zine and you want to consign it here, we’re excited to sell it for you. More info about consignment here: quimbys.com/consignment

    Also, click here for more info about consigning at Quimby’s Bookstore NYC!

  • Holiday Hours! Gift Certificates! Ordering News!

    Quimby’s Bookstore Holiday Season Hours!

    Wed, Nov 22nd noon-5pm

    Thurs, Nov 23rd closed

    Sun, Dec 24th noon-7pm

    Mon Dec 25th closed

    Sun Dec 31st noon-5pm

    Mon Jan 1st closed

    Ordering from Quimbys.com, need yer holiday gifts by Dec 24th, and you live in the contiguous U.S. states? Order by Dec 12th!

    Yes, we do sell gift certificates. Buy them on our site here or call us at 77-342-0910.

  • Help the Quimby's Bookstore & Photo Gallery NYC Upgrade!

     

    Help the awesome Steven Svymbersky pay for custom-made, hand-painted Chris Ware signs to be displayed outside Quimby’s Bookstore NYC! It’ll look so great, you’ll help pay for it, and you’ll get cool swag. Also, did we mention there will be gold-leaf rays, a “donut-shaped” sign, and a “fake” sign on the building over the window that advertising Svymbersky’s Cabinetry and Conveyance? Oh yes. Indie-Go-Go campaign here.

    Info courtesy of Quimby’s Founder Steven Svymbersky!

    “From book release parties to photo galleries celebrating NYC’s oftentimes ignored buskers, Quimby’s is becoming a proud Brooklyn community member. The owner, Steven Svymbersky has dedicated himself to designing a magical shop to match its magical patrons. The creation of the store was completely funded by Svymbersky up to now. While we do have a disco ball, this design project is not complete just yet and we at Quimby’s need your support to put the finishing touches on the front of the store.”

    For more info: Quimby’s Bookstore & Photo Gallery NYC Upgrade Campaign.

     

  • Take the #MyChicagoBookstore Challenge on Independent Bookstore Day 4/29

    On Saturday, April 29th Quimby’s Bookstore, along with two dozen independent bookstores all over the Chicago area, are collaborating to make this year’s Independent Bookstore Day (IBD) an event that celebrates the vibrancy of Chicagoland as a dream destination for book lovers. Each store creates its own unique events and Quimby’s is no exception.

    Quimby’s is celebrating IBD in two ways. First, we welcome co-authors Steven Nodine and Eric Beaumont will celebrate the release of Brick Through the Window: An Oral History of Punk Rock, New Wave & Noise in Milwaukee, 1964-1984, celebrating our midwest sister city Milwaukee (because hey, let’s show some major metropolises the love on this one-day party). More info on that event at 7pm here.

    Secondly, Quimby’s will collaborate with at least 24 stores, jointly sponsoring the #MyChicagoBookstore Challenge, which encourages book lovers to indulge in bookstore tourism by visiting 10 or more stores on that one day.

    To begin their trip, readers can pick up a #MyChicagoBookstore carabiner and their first “luggage tag” from the store of their choice (from any of the independent bookstores listed below) with an initial purchase of $25 or more. Get it? “Luggage Tag,” as in Chicago being a dream destination for book lovers? As in, where books take you, somewhere?! SO CLEVER.

    Bookstore visits throughout the day (no purchase required) enable them to collect an additional tag at each subsequent bookstore. The payoff comes for visits at the following levels:

    • Visit TEN stores and get 10% off at all bookstores listed below for the ENTIRE YEAR!
    • Visit FIFTEEN stores and get 15% off at all bookstores listed below for the ENTIRE YEAR!  

    Also, readers are encouraged to post a snapshot of themselves and their Independent Bookstore Day haul, and enter to win more prizes!

    On Instagram Use #CHIBD17

    On Twitter: Use #CHIBD17 or @chibookstore

    The #MyChicagoBookstore Challenge is being sponsored by the Chicagoland Independent Bookstore Allliance (ChIBA), an association formed last year to raise awareness about the vitality of the area’s indie stores. ChIBA also maintains a Facebook page–#MyChicagoBookstore—where all member stores can post readings and other literary events to create one central “billboard” for literary culture in the greater Chicago area.

    #MyChicagoBookstore Luggage Tag Challenge Participating Stores:

    Quimby’s Bookstore 1854 W. North Ave, Chicago

    57th Street Books 1301 E. 57th St., Chicago

    Anderson’s Bookshop (three stores): 5112 Main St., Downers Grove, 26 S. La Grange Rd., La Grange, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville

    The Book Bin 151 Church St., Northbrook

    The Book Cellar 4736-38 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago

    The Book Stall Chestnut Court, 811 Elm St., Winnetka

    The Book Table 1045 Lake St., Oak Park

    Bookends & Beginnings 1712 Sherman Ave., Alley #1, Evanston

    Bookie’s 2419 W. 103rd St., Chicago

    Centuries and Sleuths 7419 Madison St., Forest Park

    Magic Tree Bookstore 141 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park

    Newberry Library Bookshop 60 W. Walton St., Chicago

    Open Books (two stores): 905 W. 19th St., Chicago (Pilsen), 651 W. Lake St., Chicago (West Loop)

    Powell’s Books Chicago 1501 E. 57th St., Chicago

    Read It & Eat 2142 N. Halsted St., Chicago

    RoscoeBooks 2142 W. Roscoe St., Chicago

    Sandmeyer’s Bookstore 714 S. Dearborn St., Chicago

    Seminary Co-op Bookstore 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago

    Volumes Bookcafe 1474 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

    Wicker Park Secret Agent Supply Co./826CHI 1276 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

    Women & Children First 5233 N. Clark St., Chicago

  • In New York? GRAND OPENING QUIMBY’S BOOKSTORE NYC, 2/4/17!

    GRAND OPENING

    QUIMBY’S BOOKSTORE NYC

    SATURDAY FEBRUARY 4th, 2017

    7:00 – 10:00

    At 7:00 PM, Steven Svymbersky will give a short slide show talk on the history of zines followed by champagne and hors d’oeuvres.

    This event is also the opening for the first major survey of works by sculptor and collage artist, Eric Kirsammer.

    Quimby’s Bookstore NYC

    536 Metropolitan Ave

    Brooklyn, NY 11211

    718-384-1215

    quimbysbookstorenyc(at)gmail(dot)com

    quimbysbookstorenyc can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & Tumblr

    Quimby’s Bookstore NYC joins Desert Island Comics on Metropolitan Ave in Williamsburg to bring you every cool, queer, sick, rad, aberrant, dope, weird, impossible publication available, something you never knew existed but that now you need.

    Steven Svymbersky originally opened Quimby’s Bookstore in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood in 1991.  That store recently celebrated their 25th anniversary. Quimby’s specializes in zines, alternative magazines and underground books. Subject matter includes LGBTQ, Anarchism, Tattooing, Creative Resistance, Drugs, Minority and Women’s Issues, Taxidermy, Occult, Punk Rock, Cycling, Urban Farming, Vegetarianism, Morbid Anatomy, as well as the more outré artists working in fiction and photography. 

    In December 2016, Svymbersky opened the second Quimby’s location next door to Desert Island Comics (Best Comics Resource, Village Voice 2016). Desert Island has been on Metropolitan Ave over eight years.  Founder, Gabe Fowler is also the publisher of the comics anthology Resist!/Smoke Signals and every year in November organizes New York’s largest underground comics convention, Comics Art Brooklyn.

  • Quimby's Bookstore NYC ALMOST OPEN!

    qbnycIt’s true! It’s true! Quimby’s Bookstore in New York is almost open!!!!! And your zines are wanted there!!! Here are words from Steven Svymbersky, who wants them from you to sell there!! Words form him below, as well as the consignment form. Yeah!!!

    QUIMBY’S ANNOUNCEMENT

    Quimby’s Bookstore NYC is ready to start receiving your zines and books on consignment. There are two important things you need to know before sending me your publications:

    1. The trademark “Quimby’s” and the trademarked logo are used with the permission of the  mark’s owner, Chicago Comics Inc., which owns and operates Quimby’s. Neither the Chicago-based Quimby’s Bookstore or Chicago Comics are in any way responsible for transactions made with Quimby’s Bookstore NYC, a wholly independent company and sole proprietorship of Steven Svymbersky.

    2. Quimby’s Bookstore NYC will not accept/sell graphic novels, comic books, comic-related art, zines,books or novelties. Quimby’s Bookstore NYC is located next door to Desert Island Comics, a retailer of all the finest comics and graphic art publications. To sell your comics/graphic arts we encourage you to contact Gabe Fowler at desertislandbrooklyn@gmail.com for more information on how to consign your comics and graphic arts publications.

    For any comics publishers that may be disappointed that there is not a new store to sell their wares, you need to know that there was no way I was going to be able to afford enough space in New York to carry all the publications that the much larger store in Chicago can handle. Had I moved somewhere farther from Desert Island and carried comics I would have had to make very hard decisions about what publications I could take and I would have had to turn a lot of publishers away. Finding this space next door to the best comic book store in New York is a huge blessing. Now fans can find all the great alternative publications they want in one easy to reach location. And between the two stores we can be all-inclusive. Gabe Fowler has been completely supportive and encouraging to my opening next door and in the spirit of true collaboration I do not want to compete with Desert Island in any way.

    If you want to sell your graphic novels, comics and graphic arts publications and novelties you can write to Gabe Fowler at desertislandbrooklyn@gmail.com.

    If you have non-comics or graphic arts zines, books or novelties, you can write to me, Steven Svymbersky at quimbysbookstorenyc@gmail.com.

    We are excited to provide a one-stop location for every amazing publication out there. Send us yours and if you’re in New York be sure to come and visit us at:

    Desert island Comics, 540 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211
    &
    Quimby’s Bookstore NYC,     536 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (Consignment form for zines below!)

    Steven Svymbersky

    @

     

     

    quimbys-nyc-consigment

     

  • Quimby's Bookstore is Coming to New York!

    QUIMBYS FLYER

    Since 1991 Quimby’s Bookstore has been selling zines and alternative literature in Chicago and now the founder, Steven Svymbersky is going to open a second store in New York! (No worries, the Chicago store isn’t going anywhere!) The first step is to find the right location. We are looking for a space with somewhere between 600-900 sq. ft. not too distant from a train stop. All neighborhoods are up for consideration. If you have any information or suggestions please contact Steven at ssvymberksy(at)gmail(dot)com.

    Once a location is found it won’t take long for the store to open and then all the zines and small press publications will be accepted on consignment and events can be scheduled. Looking forward to promoting alternative and underground Lit and Art in New York city very soon!

  • John Olson Reads From Life Is a Rip-Off with Alan Hoffman 10/8

    LRIP-cover-550

    From American Tapes to Wolf Eyes, John Olson is one of the most influential musicians of the past two decades, the obvious bridge between free jazz and noise music. Wikipedia lists over 75 projects with which Olson worked and over 100 Wolf Eyes’ recordings. Olson is now a discerning and sharp-witted author too: LIFE IS A RIP OFF, published by Jack White’s imprint Third Man Records, is a collection of surprisingly untraditional record reviews which Olson wrote over the course of 365 days. He will read from his book on Saturday October 8, accompanied by some of his many instruments.

    Local writer-performance artist Alan Hoffman will open for him and debut his novella AUDITIONS about internet-porn casting-couch videos.

    olson hoff parody

    LIFE IS A RIP OFF: THE COMPLETE BOOK is 12 months of record reviews—one record a day, every day, for one year. Yes, John “Inzane” Olson aka Inzane Johnny of the bandWolf Eyes aka American Tapes did that. And he reviewed everything from death metal demo cassettes to the Staples Singers’ gospel. Enter into the OLZONE and find out about music you’ve never known, bands from places that you’ve never heard, and then read his review of KANSAS. Reading LRIP will make you re-realize why blues is relevant, why every punk band in America matters, why jazz is good for the heart, and metal will always ride by your side.

    “To write music op-ed this good, you have to tap the primordial sap sack, to butterfly stroke the ancient ooze of tune begatment, cave dwell with the knuckle draggers, scratch symbols into the dirt with the freaks and make it rain. He do and it did.” — Henry Rollins

    “[Life is a Rip Off] is the best way [John Olson] can add another cubist layer to the sound and visuality he’s already presented for the last twenty or so years. He’s sharing something the people who don’t know him personally don’t get enough of—his textual, syntactical brain, stained as it is with dollar-store spray paint.” — Ben Hell Hall, Detroit artist.

    “When John agreed to write a record review a day, back in 20xx, I wasn’t too keen on the idea. Not because I didn’t think he could do it – but that I knew he would do it, even if it became a years-long all-encompassing obsessive task.” — Tovah Olson, The Dead Machines.

    “[John Olson] didn’t just introduce me to different worlds, the man introduced me to entire universes.” — Bryan Ramirez, Killertrees Records

    “Wolf Eyes . . . sounds like a crumbling Velvet Underground bootleg that’s been burned to ashes.” — NPR, Sept 2015

    As always, this event at Quimby’s is free.

    More info:

    The Facebook invite for this event. Invite your friends!

    https://thirdmanrecords.com/news/life-is-a-rip-off/

    http://www.wolfeyes.net/

    https://wolf-eyes.bandcamp.com/

  • QuimBrew Available For Pre-order!!!

    Quimbrew

    Pre-order QuimBrew by Marz Community Brewing & Quimby’s Bookstore with an awesome label by the amazing Chicago artist Laura Park. Order it from The Beer Temple, and your shipment will come with the Quimby’s oral history zine!

    It’s the 25th anniversary of Quimby’s Bookstore, and Marz Community Brewing Co made a beer to celebrate this milestone. Quimbrew is a pale wheat ale with rooibos tea packaged in 500 ML bottle with label art work designed by Laura Park.

    This special edition beer is available for pre-purchase at The Beer Temple and comes with the 132 page zine: Ever Evolving Bastion of Freakdom: A Quimby’s Bookstore History in Words and Pictures.

    Ever Evolving…is an oral history of the notorious and glorious Quimby’s Bookstore, in the tradition of Gillian McCain and Legs McNeil’s Please Kill Me. The story of the early days of Quimby’s up through today. Pictures, graphics, juice, from employees, shoppers, consignors and artists that have frequented the store’s hallowed doors. This special “ashcan edition” is a limited print run zine to celebrate the store’s silver jubilee, and was created to accompany the Marz Community Brewing Quimbrew beer pre-purchase.

    Please note! This pre-order needs to be done at the Beer Temple website here, not at Quimby’s.

    everevolving

  • February Newsletter

    Don’t miss our monthly newsletter! If you sign up at quimbys.com to get it. it will come straight to your inbox with Quimby’s announcements, store event listings, a list of noteworthy new items etc. Wanna see our February newsletter ? Click on the image below!

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