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Old Wives Tales (bookstore)

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Feminist bookstore in San Francisco, California, United States This article is about the feminist bookstore. For other uses, see Old Wives Tales.
Old Wives Tales
Old Wives Tales at 1009 Valencia Street (photo taken in 1983)
FormationOctober 31, 1976; 48 years ago (1976-10-31)
FounderCarol Seajay, Paula Wallace
DissolvedOctober 1995; 29 years ago (1995-10)
TypeFeminist bookstore
Location

Old Wives Tales (also Old Wives' Tales) was a feminist bookstore in the Mission Dolores neighborhood of San Francisco. It was founded on October 31, 1976, by Carol Seajay and Paula Wallace, a lesbian couple. It closed permanently in October 1995.

History

On October 31, 1976, Old Wives Tales opened at 532 Valencia Street, funded by a loan from the San Francisco Feminist Federal Credit Union. It initially operated as a partnership between the founders. In 1978, Carol Seajay and Paula Wallace broke up, with Wallace moving away. The bookstore was moved to a new location at 1009 Valencia Street after the breakup, and Seajay restructured it to run as a worker cooperative.

In 1983, members of the worker collective incorporated Old Wives Tales as a nonprofit. Seajay resigned the same year.

In early 1991, the bookstore halved its floor space as a result of financial difficulties. In August 1993, Old Wives Tales reported additional financial trouble, with the collective seeking $25,000 in loans to continue operating the bookstore.

References

  1. Kirkeberg, Max. "Old Wives Tales bookstore at 1009 Valencia Street - 1983 - Max Kirkeberg Collection". diva.sfsu.edu. San Francisco State University. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  2. ^ Sullivan, Elizabeth. "Carol Seajay, Old Wives Tales and the Feminist Bookstore Network". FoundSF. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  3. "Guide to the Old Wives' Tales Bookstore records, 1976-1995". Online Archive of California. May 1996. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  4. "Valencia Corridor". Pride is a Protest. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  5. Kirkeberg, Max. "Old Wives Tales bookstore at 1009 Valencia Street - 1983 - Max Kirkeberg Collection". diva.sfsu.edu. San Francisco State University. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  6. "Guide to the Old Wives' Tales Bookstore records, 1976-1995". Online Archive of California. May 1996. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  7. Boutilier, Nancy (4 April 1991). "Women De-Barred?". Bay Area Reporter. Vol. 21, no. 14. p. 24. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  8. Boutilier, Nancy (26 August 1993). "Dykeotomy: A Tale of Two Collectives". Bay Area Reporter. Vol. 23, no. 34. p. 10. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
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