Sisterhood Bookstore (Location 2)

Sisterhood Bookstore was a feminist bookstore founded in 1972 by Simone Wallace, Adele Wallace, and Gahan Kelly. It opened first at 1915 Westwood Boulevard before relocating in 1973 to a larger storefront at 1351 Westwood Boulevard. It specialized in books and products by, for, and about women and carried titles by lesbians, feminists, and women of color often unavailable elsewhere. Sisterhood Bookstore hosted hundreds of author readings and book signing events featuring lesbian and feminist luminaries including Angela Davis, Adrienne Rich, Jeanne Córdova, Ann Bannon, and Octavia E. Butler. Simone and Adele also created a community bulletin board connecting visitors to housing, healthcare, political organizing, and social services that affirmed lesbian experiences. Despite strong community support and fundraising efforts, Sisterhood closed in 1999 amid financial pressures caused by the rise of corporate chain bookstores and the success of the feminist bookstore movement in bringing once obscure titles to mainstream bookstore shelves. For 27 years, the bookstore was far more than a place to shop. It was a place where women could see themselves in literature, share their experiences, and find community.