Category: zines

  • Off-Site: Quimby's Freakdom Anniversary Panel at Chicago Zine Fest!

    Yeah! We’re really milkin’ that Quimby’s 25th anniversary thing.   offers the community a way to engage and learn through a selection of workshops held during the expo, and they asked us to do a panel that celebrates the way Quimby’s has contributed to the zine community. How could we resist? So during the tabling exhibition of CZF we’ll be doing a Quimby’s panel (from noon-1pm) called “Ever Evolving Bastion of Freakdom: A Retrospective of Quimby’s,” taking it’s name from the oral history of the same title we published last year. The panel will feature a discussion (moderated by CZF co-organizer Alex Nall) with store founder Steven Svymbersky (and owner of Quimby’s Bookstore NYC), Quimby’s Bookstore Chicago store manager and zinester Liz Mason, with special guests, Neil Brideau (former employee and founder of Radiator Comics) and artist/photographer/Quimby’s regular customer Oscar Arriola. Come for a rousing discussion of how Quimby’s Bookstore got started, how it has evolved over the years, and how each panelist played a vital role in where it is today! Here’s the Facebook event invite for this panel to share it with all your peoples.

    CZF’s tabling exhibition is Sat, May 6th at Plumbers Union Hall (1340 W Washington Blvd) – NOT AT QUIMBY’S. Quimby’s will have a table, yes! Here’s the list of other exhibitors, sponsors, and guests!

    Note: this is NOT at Quimby’s. It is at the Plumbers Union Hall (1340 W Washington Blvd).

  • 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 2017 Zlumber Party 1/28-1/29

    Hey zinesters and comics artists! Come to our Zlumber Party (as in Zine Slumber Party)! This is the sixth 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 28th (the store closes at 10pm). Then spend the night here! Stay until 6am Sun, Jan 29th! (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 2017!

    When: Sat, Jan 28th, 9:30pm – Sun, Jan 29th, 6am

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

    RSVP: Give us a holler so we have a head count: 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: Please 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 2017 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: https://www.quimbys.com/consignment

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

  • Quimby's Bookstore NYC OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!!!

    It’s true!!!!!

    536 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (right next to Desert Island! Like an awesome independent publishing extravaganza!!!!)

    Quimby’s Bookstore NYC Hours:
    Sun noon-7pm
    Mon 2-9pm
    Tues-Sat 12-9

    Quimbys Bookstore NYC on Facebook
    Quimbys Bookstore NYC on Twitter
    Quimby’s Bookstore NYC on Instagram

    Wanna consign stuff? Here’s a link to the consignment form as well as what Quimby’s Bookstore NYC will and won’t take.

  • Off-Site: Chicago Zine Fest! April 29th and 30th!

    czf2016poster

    Quimby’s is proud to be a co-sponsor of the Chicago Zine Fest! It’s the weekend of Fri. April 29th (panel, readings, opening festivities) and Sat, April 30th (tabling exhibition at the Plumbers Union Hall, 1340 W Washington Blvd, from 11am-6pm). More info (who is exhibiting and at what table! totebags! all that stuff!) at ChicagoZineFest.org. 

    Here’s the e-mail courtesy of CZF 2016 Organizers Heather, Johnny, Julie, Alex, Violet & Allison!:

    CZF 2016 FRIDAY NIGHT INFO

    All Friday night events located at Workshop Chicago (935 W. Chestnut St. #530)

    April 29th 6:30 – 8pm, Panel: Permission Not Granted: Women of Color and the Politics of Zines

    A discussion sponsored by the University of Chicago Library with Leila Abdelrazaq, Sarah Gonzalez, and Monika Harris. Moderated by Monica Trinidad.

    April 29th 8 – 9:30pm, Exhibitor Reading: Readings by Andi Santagata (Sorry Mom Comix), JC (Tributaries), Jonas (Cheer the Eff Up), Marnie Galloway (In the Sounds and Seas), Rachel & Sari (Hoax), Taryn Hipp (Lady Teeth), Tanuja Jagernauth (Brown & Proud Press Collective), and Vicky Lim (Abstract Door).

    All events during CZF weekend are free, open to the public, and wheelchair accessible. The Youth Reading will be held as a workshop on Saturday, April 30 at Plumbers Hall.

    Sat, April 30th (tabling exhibition at the Plumbers Union Hall, 1340 W Washington Blvd, from 11am-6pm).

    + also that day at the same place…

    CZF 2016 WORKSHOPS

    Peruse our workshop offerings for this year’s zine fest below. We’re excited as always to offer a variety of programming for you and your zine-loving friends!

    • Revolutionary Mothering: from zines to anthologies. Join Mai’a Williams and China Martens, two editors of Revolutionary Mothering: Love on the Front lines – to talk about creating in difficult environments, zines and book anthologies, life, art and revolution. Mama centric, but open to all.
    • Drawing Out the Issues: Comics Journalism. Using our recent series for Truthout, Growing Season, as a basis for discussion—as well as our upcoming book Threadbare: Clothes, Sex, and Trafficking—the Ladydrawers Comics Collective will informally talk participants through the basics of longform, collective, comics journalism investigations.
    • Lumpen Live Taping & Radio Transmission. Live radio segment broadcasting directly from CZF 2016!
    • Youth Reading. Join the youngest members of the zine community while they show us all up with their zine skills.
    • Cute Animal Drawing Workshop. Fun ways to draw cute animals for kids ages 6 to 12. Learn basic skills to create infinite cute animals.
    • Busy Beaver Button Co. Custom button making workshop!

    Help make our zine dreams come true!

    To all you lovely dreamy zine fans, consider donating to Chicago Zine Fest! We’re a crack team of volunteer organizers who are proud to put together this amazing DIY festival each year. But, it is not a cheap endeavor; from venue fees, to printing costs, to offering stipends to our snazzy invited guests, those $$$ add up. Any little bit you may be able to offer is much appreciated. You can donate to CZF here.

    Volunteer with CZF!

    Are you interested in volunteering with us? We are always looking for folks who have skills to share. Want to help us design programs, promote workshops, host fundraisers, or help at events? Let us know & send us an email at chicagozinefest@gmail.com!

    …and check out that cool art by Erik Rodriguez!

  • Offsite: Chicago Zine Fest Valentine’s Day Karaoke Fundraiser at Beauty Bar Chicago 2/14

    cfz karaoke 2016 gina wynbrandt

     

    Show your love through song this Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14th as you help raise funds for the independent literary event Chicago Zine Fest, at Beauty Bar, 1444 W Chicago Ave. (NOT AT QUIMBY’S.)

    For their fifth annual karaoke fundraiser, Zine Fest partners with Shameless Karaoke with a songbook of karaoke favorites from Blondie, the Smiths, James Brown, Madonna, Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Prince, The Clash, Elvis Costello, the Kinks, Kiss, Britney Spears, Roxy Music, the Sex Pistols, classic punk and new wave and more. You can voice your feelings about Valentine’s Day with your song selection, whether it’s “Addicted to Love” or “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”

    Bring some extra dollars as Beauty Bar offers unique drink specials all night long, including a signature martini and manicure to make sure you look your best this holiday.  Plus Zine Fest will hold a 50/50 raffle, splitting the pot that night with one lucky winner. Purchase raffle tickets for a chance to take home a nice holiday gift.

    There is a $5 admission which will benefit the 2016 Chicago Zine Fest. The event beings at 8pm and is 21+.

    About Chicago Zine Fest: Chicago Zine Fest (CZF) is a celebration of small press and independent publishers. CZF’s mission is to showcase the culture and accessibility of zine-making through workshops, events, and an annual festival that welcomes artists and creators to share their stories, knowledge, and love of zines. Chicago Zine Fest 2016 takes place on April 29th and 30th, 2016. Visit chicagozinefest.org for more information.

    Join the event on Facebook and invite your friends: https://www.facebook.com/events/545483928934905/

    About Shameless Karaoke: Visit www.facebook.com/ShamelessKaraoke/

    See the Shameless Karaoke list here to think about what song(s) you want to do!

    Artwork by the lovely and talented Chicago artist Gina Wynbrandt (Big Pussy).

    Quimby’s is proud to co-sponsor Chicago Zine Fest, which is April 29th-30th, 2016.

  • Announcing the 2nd Annual TRANSIT Residency for CAKE 2016!

    As per a CAKE e-mail!:

    transitresidency2016

    CAKE is proud to announce our continuing partnership with Transit Residency and Chicago Public Resources Center (ChiPRC) as applications open for the second annual inbound comics artist residency!

    Transit Residency is looking for non-Chicago-based cartoonists and zinesters to apply for a chance to spend the 2 weeks leading up to CAKE (May 29 – June 12) creating work at the beautiful ChiPRC studio/workspace. The winner of this juried residency is awarded a stipend of $1000 to help cover travel and lodging expenses. They will also receive a free table space at CAKE as well as integration into programming at CAKE 2016!

    Last year Transit and ChiPRC hosted Ignatz nominee and Society of Illustrators Gold Medal winner Roman Muradov, who wrote about his experience here for the Transit blog. We hope all of our out of town exhibitors, friends, and visitors will apply! For more information, please follow this link.

    The Fourth Annual Chicago Alternative Comics Expo will take place on Saturday, June 11 and Sunday, June 12, 2016 at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N Halsted Ave. If you have any questions about the residency, please contact Meredith Winer at meredith@transitresidency.org.

  • Quimby's 2016 Zlumber Party 1/30-1/31

    zlumberparty2016

    Hey zinesters and comics artists! Come to our Zine Slumber Party (Zlumber Party, geddit? Gosh we’re clever.) This is the fifth year in a row we’re inviting you to come in and spend the night with us working on your zine, because we’ve had so much fun doing it in the past. Get here at 9:30 on Sat, Jan 30th (the store closes at 10pm). Then spend the night here! Stay until 6am Sun, Jan 31st! (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 2016!

    When: Sat, Jan 30th, 9:30pm – Sun, Jan 31st, 6am

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

    RSVP: Give us a holler so we have a head count: info(at)quimbys(dot)com or call 773-342-0910.

    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: Please 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 2016 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: https://www.quimbys.com/consignment

    *Wanna invite your friends with the event post on Facebook? Here it is: https://www.facebook.com/events/786313241474411/

  • Include Your Zine or Comic in Read/Write Library's Pop Up Library!

    RewritableWP_Poster copy

    Read/Write Library will be hosting a month-long Pop Up Library as part of the City’s new Activate! initiative in partnership with Latent Design: http://www.activate-chi.org/boombox/.

    Drop your zine or comic off at Quimby’s for it and we’ll pass it along!

    Throughout November, community members will continuously rewrite the cultural history of Wicker Park by adding their stories and publications to the shelves, as well as learn how to uncover and document their histories through public programs.

    The goal in all Read/Write Pop Up Libraries is to connect community members across cultural and generational lines, making their histories visible and helping to make cultural participation more accessible. Read/Write Library is currently the only library of its kind in the world.

    You can find full details here: http://readwritelibrary.org/rewritable-wicker-park-pop-up-november-2015

    And a Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1724108804486364/

    Info as per the Read/Write site:

    Rewritable Wicker Park is a month-long Pop Up Library and public program series that will showcase and connect the cultural contributions that generations of community members have made to establish the neighborhood as an internationally recognized creative engine. By adding the stories of their organizations, families, galleries, publications, parishes, classrooms, theaters, neighbors and more to the Library’s shelves throughout the month of November, community members both past and present will come together to craft the historical and cultural narrative of one the city’s most dynamic areas.

    This Pop Up Library will be the first resident in the new Boombox kiosk on Milwaukee Avenue’s Mautene Court, part of Activate! Chicago’s programs for bringing public plazas to life through culture and entrepreneurship. It will be the largest Pop Up Library to date for Read/Write Library as the nonprofit approaches its 10-year anniversary in February 2016.

    Beginning with media drawn from the collections of Read/Write Library and neighborhood organizations, the Pop Up Library will feature a diverse array of publications including decades of community newspapers, artist books, music and culture magazines, poetry chapbooks, comics, zines, family memoirs, handbills, community plans, and more — representing Wicker Park’s history through the first person, creative expressions of those who have lived, worked, and studied here.

    Reflecting the interconnectedness of neighborhoods in the West Town community area, the Pop Up Library will welcome Library contributors to determine their own relationship to and definition of the neighborhood as it intersects with Bucktown, Humboldt Park, Noble Square, Ukrainian Village, West Town, and other areas.

    Public Events

    The Pop Up Library will be open during regular browsing and reading hours (to be posted on readwritelibrary.org), and will host public events and workshops each weekend. Food trucks will have warm food and drink for purchase at each event. All events are free and welcome to all ages.

    • Opening & Collection Kickoff — Saturday, November 7th 3-5pm
    Performances, readings, storytelling, and interactive neighborhood history discussion.

    • Neighborhood Research & Documentation — Saturday, November 14th 3-5pm
    Workshop to learn fun and useful techniques for discovering the history of your neighborhood through interviews, research at community institutions, and making connections with your neighbors and local businesses.

    • How and Why to Preserve Your Family & Community Media
    Saturday, November 21st 3-5pm
    Hands-on workshop to learn about saving the documents of our past (and present).

    • Final Friday Celebration — November 27th — 5-7pm
    Activate!, Read/Write Library and partner organizations present closing performances for Rewritable Wicker Park.

    ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS

    WHAT IS READ/WRITE LIBRARY?
    Read/Write Library invites you to rewrite your city’s history by putting your story on the shelf. In our public Humboldt Park location, neighborhood Pop Up Libraries, and workshops, we use community media to highlight a region’s creative and political interdependencies, creating a visible network of primary sources that make cultural participation accessible and honor the contributions of all of Chicagoans. Formerly Chicago Underground Library, Read/Write Library will celebrate our 10th anniversary in 2016. www.readwritelibrary.org | @TheChibrary

    WHAT IS ACTIVATE?
    Activate! Chicago is a new initiative from the City of Chicago in partnership with Latent Design that transforms underutilized public plazas into cultural and economic catalysts.
    Activate! will curate unique cultural experiences in neighborhoods across Chicago. This is a multi- faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces. Capitalizing on a local community’s assets, inspiration and potential, placemaking creates public spaces that promote people’s health happiness, and economic well-being. www.activate-chi.org | #ActivateChi

    WHAT IS BOOMBOX?
    Boombox is a prefabricated micro retail kiosk installed in high volume public spaces to provide short term pop up retail opportunities for local entrepreneurs and community activators.
    Boombox combines the successful features of pop-up shops and festival booths. It provides innovative transitional retail spaces at affordable weekly rates. This exceptionally designed space will become an iconic attraction that will rival coveted storefront locations without the capital commitment.
    #Boombox

    WHAT IS FINAL FRIDAY?
    Final Friday is our signature event series bringing small and large scale performances to select sites across the city. We curate work in partnership with our community partners that is provocative, hilarious, emotional, but never typical to break the routine with a moment of reflection and wonder. #FinalFri

    WHO IS LATENT DESIGN?
    Latent Design specializes in ideation, strategy, and execution of scalable and highly experiential architecture and urban design. Our participatory approach to design creates new social impact systems by leveraging creative disruption in our urban environments.www.latentdesign.net @latent_design

  • AL BURIAN Reading at Quimby’s – Burn Collector 20th Anniversary 8/22

    presidents1Al Burian, best known as writer/editor of BURN COLLECTOR zine and as a musician with the band MILEMARKER, returns to Quimby’s for a rare North American public appearance. The former Chicagoan and current Berlin ex-pat was a columnist for PUNK PLANET and more recently has contributed to VICE.com. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of BURN COLLECTOR, and Burian will celebrate by presenting a panoply of zines from all eras of his publishing career, including some new publications and mini-comics heretofore unavailable in the USA. Al Burian is known as an engaging, thought-provoking, and fearlessly funny spoken-word performer. This is his only midwestern date!

    “Dark and smart and weirdly simultaneously heartfelt and cynical and journalistically ambitious, too.” – Wells Tower, Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned

    “Burian is one of our generation’s great storytellers, a wily and insightful observer of the human condition.” – Davy Rothbart, Found magazine

    BC15

    Al Burian began self-publishing in the early 1990’s. He has published numerous books in the USA, including Burn Collector: Collected Stories from 1-9 (2000) and Natural Disaster (2007) as well as the novel Sämtliche Niederlagen (2013) in Germany. His writing and comics have been anthologized by PM Press, Microcosm Publishing, Pegacorn Press, Ventil Verlag, and Stickfigure Publishing.

    More info: alburian.com

    Facebook event invite here.

    summer-jams