Radical community spaces, alternative libraries, bike kitchens and infoshops — these physical spaces are the practical expression of our dreams for how life could be different. Rather than just sitting on the couch and wishing, we replace consumption with community. Rather than just hoping, we cooperate to build new structures to provide for our needs in a meaningful, engaged, sustainable fashion. In these spaces, we relate as people, not as bosses and workers, cops and inmates. Would you rather listen to MTV, or play in your own band?
Here are some new radical spaces that we’ve found out about in the last 3 months. If you’re involved in a new radical space, let us know and we’ll list it in our 2009 organizer contact list which gets published in August. For (sporatic) updates, check our website: slingshot.tao.ca. (By the way, if anyone in the bay area likes updating stuff on computers and wants to help update the website, let us know — we’re a bit overwhlemed with work to keep up on it . . . plus we hate computers.)
The Spore – Columbus, OH
They are a social center with a book lending library, a bike co-op, Food Not Bombs and they host a wide variety of events from knitting night to vegan meals to books to prisoners to “Psychedelic Church.” Open Wed. 6 pm – 9 pm, Fri. 10 am – 3 pm, Sun. 3 pm – 9 pm. 172 E. 5th Ave., Columbus, OH 43201, www.sporeprint.info, info@sporeprint.info, 614-299-INFO
Backroom Books – Pocatello, Idaho
This is a cute little community library project that offers alternative voices in a conservative town. The people doing it have also been involved in hosting alternative meetings, feedings, protests, concerts, walk-outs and debates. Located at the back of Main Street Coffee and News at 234 N Main St, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, 208-234-9834 myspace.com/backroombooks.
Sweet Bee Infoshop – Des Moines, IA
“Making Des Moines a Threat Again” – a library and community space with free internet. 513 E. 6th St Suite B, Des Moines, IA 50309
OCK Infoshop – Oklahoma City, OK
They have 5000 sq. ft. with a show space, lending library, bike collective, free store, media and gardens. They host workshops, shows, talks and weekly film screenings. Open Mon. 2-6. Wed. 5-9 , Sat. 12-8 at 33 NE 27th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73105, 405-521-1190 www.woodenboxcar.org
Antiwar Storefront – Rochester, NY
A community meeting space with internet, books, zines and events. Open Mon.-Fri. noon- 9, Sat/Sun 12-6. 658 Monroe Ave, Rochester, NY 14607, 585-271-2620.
Women’s Information Center – Syracuse, NY
A long standing volunteer-run community space that hosts feminist, anti-authoritarian events, reading groups and a library. 601 Allen St, Syracuse, NY 13210, 315-478-4636, womensinfonetwork.net/
The Cat in the Zine – Oberlin, Ohio
A zine library in the Cat in the Cream campus coop coffeeshop. Open most evenings at Hales Annex (next to College Lanes), 180 West College St. (mailing: Wilder Hall Box 41 Oberlin, OH 44074), 440-775-8279, cat.cream@oberlin.edu
Greenleaf Co-op – Greensboro, NC
They have a zine library in a little coop student cafe. In the basement of Mary Hobbs, Guilford College, 5800 W. Friendly Ave. Greensboro, NC 27410, greenleaf@guilford.edu
Suspect Thoughts – Cleveland, Ohio
An alternaqueer bookstore (they coined the term). Open 11 am-7 pm Wed-Sun. 4903 Clark Ave., Cleveland, OH 44102, 216-631-2665
Hysteria – Denver, CO
A feminist owned and operated sex shop that offers workshops and classes on positive sexuality ranging from kissing to BDSM. 114 S. Broadway Denver, CO 80209, 303-733-3373 www.hysteriashop.com
United Peace Relief – Detroit, MI
We’re not sure what this is but they contacted us but then didn’t respond with details: check it out and let us know: 4203 Lincoln, Detroit, MI 48208, 313-377-4203
Future Pasture – Minneapolis, MN
It is a show space with perhaps other goings on. 3649 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55407 www.anticivrecords.com
Exile Infoshop – Ottawa, Canada
A collectively-run, volunteer radical resource center, library and bookstore. Open Wed-Sun noon to 8 pm. 256 Bank St (second floor!), Ottawa, ON, Canada K2P 1X4, 613-237-9270, http://exilebooks.org
Bike Dump – Winnipeg, Manitoba
An all-volunteer community bicycle shop with tools and space to fix your bike, used parts and bikes, repair workshops. Confusing hours Sunday afternoon and Wed/Thurs evenings. Check them out at the back of 631 Main street (through the back door) Winnipeg MB, R3E 1E1. bike-dump.ca/
Empowerment Infoshop – London, Ontario, Canada.
They are a volunteer-run community center with space for meetings, films & events. 7 to 10 pm Sunday – Thursday. 636 Queen Street, London, Ontario, N5W 3H1, Canada 519 601-2547, www.empowermentinfoshop.com
La Furia de las Calles – Mexico City
They are an anti-authoritarian/counter-cultural collective with an Infoshop/Publishing House/record Label. They have internet, bicycle repair, books and zines, study circles, workshops, teach-ins, speakers, video projections, art shows, music shows, etc. Open from 3:00 to 7:00 Tues – Fri, 1:00 to 7:00 Sat. Visit them at Plaza Revolución locales 92 y 93. http://espora.org/furia/, furia@riseup.net
Folkets hus (the peoples house) – Copenhagen, Denmark
It is an independent activist house which also houses a political café, Stengade 50 2200 københavn N. Denmark www.folketshus.dk (Also check out Kafax, a cafe, on Korsgade or Bumzen on Baldersgade, a political collective.)
Corrections to 2008 organizer
• OOPS! By mistake we concluded that the Junto Library in Winnipeg, Manitoba which features rare, relevant and radical books, zines, audio and film was gone. In fact, they are alive and well! They moved and are now at 2C 91 Albert St. Winnipeg, Manitoba. R3B 1G5, 204-942-6994, junto.a-zone.org.
• The Red and Black Cafe in Portland, Oregon has moved. Their new address is 400 S.E. 12th Ave. Portland, OR 97202, 503-231-3899 open 7 am -11 pm, www.redandblackcafe.com
• The Pitchpipe Infoshop in Tacoma, WA moved. Their new address is 621 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Tacoma, WA 98405, 253-572-5176.
• The Mifflin Coop in Madison, WI is out of business.
• Unity Infoshop in Boulder, CO, which we just featured as a “new” space in last issue, is already gone!
• Velocipede Infoshop in Iowa City, IA lost their space but still does tabling.
• The Rochester infoshop is closed.
• The Jack Pine Collective in Minneapolis closed.
• The Belfrey Center in Minneapolis is closing in May.
• The Savannah Infoshop in Georgia closed.
• Oops – there is no longer a phone # for the Bookstore in the Barn listed in the organizer — the correction we printed in the last issue of our paper also got the zip code wrong, but it is listed right in the organizer.
• The Glasgow Women’s library has moved. Their new address is : 2nd floor, 81 Parnie St., Glasgow G1 5R, womenslibrary.org.uk.
• Spekulatoriet in Copenhagen, Denmark is “way gone.”
• The information for Le Clande Infokiosk in Toulouse, France has changed: the correct address is now: Kiosk Arnaud-Bernard, au 3, rue Escoussières Arnaud-Bernard, Toulouse, France 31000. Moreover, check out the following for a list of infoshops in France http://infokiosques.net/kioskarnaudben. We’re not sure which ones are good or even exist – if you’re traveling in France, please let us know before August, 2008 so we can include updated French information in the 2009 organizers.