Blog

Quimby’s Show & Tell
with madeleine aguilar of bench press
Saturday, September 27, 2025 – 6:30 PM
in-person at Quimby’s Bookstore 1854 W. North Ave Chicago, IL 60622

Join madeleine aguilar of bench press for a conversation on maintaining a collaborative practice, dive deep into the behind-the-scenes of some of her favorite publications. Bench Press is a risograph press based on friendship, play & collaboration. Books are remnants of generative conversations & mutual exchange between artist + publisher.

“madeleine is an artist & musician from chicago. her work is often mobile / modular / interactive and can be found in backyards, libraries, storefronts, homes, galleries, book stores & street fairs. using the archive as form, she acknowledges the passing of time by cataloging lived spaces, collected objects, familial histories, personal relationships, natural phenomena, mundane routines, and ephemeral moments.” ~ benchpresspress.com

Register for the event!

–.- ..- .. — -… -.– .—-. …

Your generous donation directly supports artist honorariums and ensures the continuation of this program. We are so grateful for your support of local creators, Quimby’s Bookstore, and DIY culture—we truly couldn’t do it without you!

Pay what you can afford. Suggested: $10
Venmo: @quimbysbookstore
Please include “After Hours” in the note!

Quimby’s After Hours:
Taylor Thornburg – 6:00 pm to 7:27 pm
Thursday, September the 25th 6pm-7:27pm

in-person at Quimby’s Bookstore 1854 W. North Ave Chicago, IL 60622

Quimby’s After Hours is excited to welcome Quimby’s family member Taylor Thornburg for a conversation, reading, and book launch for his recent release Agathe, 6:00 p.m. to 7:27, “about a woman, her letter, a memory, and the trouble in which she finds herself.”

“Taylor Thornburg is an author and essayist based in Chicago, Illinois. His fiction explores strange yet humane ways of being. His fiction can be found in The Garfield Lake Review, L’Esprit Literary Review, Thirteenth Floor Magazine, Valley Voices, The Heartwood Literary Review, Disco Kitchen, and elsewhere.” ~ Lost Telegram Press

Register for the event!

–.- ..- .. — -… -.– .—-. …

Your generous donation directly supports artist honorariums and ensures the continuation of this program. We are so grateful for your support of local creators, Quimby’s Bookstore, and DIY culture—we truly couldn’t do it without you!

Pay what you can afford. Suggested: $10
Venmo: @quimbysbookstore
Please include “After Hours” in the note!

Your generous donation directly supports artist honorariums and ensures the continuation of this program. We are so grateful for your support of local authors, publishers, creators, Quimby’s Bookstore, and DIY culture—we truly couldn’t do it without you!

Quimby’s After Hours:
Wreathe Literary Collective
Thursday, August 28th, 2025 – 6:30 PM

in-person at Quimby’s Bookstore1854 W. North Ave Chicago, IL 60622

Quimby’s After Hours is excited to welcome readers from Wreathe Literary Collective. Wreathe Literary Collective, founded by Chicago writer Kat Thanopoulis publishes Wreath Magazine a two (and soon to be three) issue zine format lit, poetry and painting publication!

Register for the event!

–.- ..- .. — -… -.– .—-. …

Readers for the event are

Gretchen Shull

Gretchen Shull is a sketch and improv performer and loves Kat with all of their heart! They love a good notes app poem; they find it fun to tell a small story in their poems that only they know. They’re very proud of Kat and Wreath, and are very excited to be a part of it.

Dylan Gann 

Dylan Gann (she/her) graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Comedy Writing and Performance. She was first published in Wreath and has since loved sharing her poetry and exploring the literary world!

ethan

ethan is an abolitionist poet born and raised on the far north side of Chicago.

His poetry has previously appeared in Wreath LC, Querencia press and Dream Boy Book Club. He is currently working on his 2nd collection of poetry: Code Switch

Tommy Bien

Tommy Bien is a visual artist and sometimes writer from Chicago.

Expect a lively reading celebrating contributors Wreathe Literary Collective and zines from Wreathe and the readers!

–.- ..- .. — -… -.– .—-. …

Your generous donation directly supports artist honorariums and ensures the continuation of this program. We are so grateful for your support of local creators, Quimby’s Bookstore, and DIY culture—we truly couldn’t do it without you!

Pay what you want. Suggested $10.

Venmo: @quimbysbookstore (Please include “Wreathe” in the note!)

By registering for this event, you’ll be added to Quimby’s newsletter to receive updates on upcoming events, new releases, and zine news. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Quimby’s Show & Tell: Marc Fischer of Public Collectors
Saturday, August 9th, 2025 – 6:30 PM
in-person at Quimby’s Bookstore
1854 W. North Ave Chicago, IL 60622

Register to attend Show & Tell: Marc Fischer of Public Collectors

Join Chicago-based publisher Marc Fischer of Public Collectors to discuss his latest Public Collectors publications, and read from the recent booklets: “Why Self-Publish Under Fascism?” and “Who Shares the Restroom Code with ICE Agents?“

Marc Fischer is the administrator of Public Collectors, an initiative he formed in 2007. Public Collectors aims to encourage greater access and scholarship for marginal cultural materials, particularly those that museums ignore. Public Collectors’ work includes the Library Excavations publication series and web project, Hardcore Architecture—a blog and publication series about where people in punk bands lived, and Quaranzine—which produced 100 single-page publications with over 75 collaborators at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to Public Collectors, Fischer is also a member of the group Temporary Services (founded in 1998) and a partner in its publishing imprint Half Letter Press (ongoing since 2008). He is based in Chicago.Your generous donation directly supports artist honorariums and ensures the continuation of this program. We are so grateful for your support of local creators, Quimby’s Bookstore, and DIY culture—we truly couldn’t do it without you!

——

Pay what you want. Suggested: $10
Venmo: @quimbysbookstore
Please include “Show & Tell” in the note!

Your generous donation directly supports artist honorariums and ensures the continuation of this program. We are so grateful for your support of local authors, publishers, creators, Quimby’s Bookstore, and DIY culture—we truly couldn’t do it without you!