Lucy Parsons Center

Great bookstore, great reputation, great selection, great contribution to the country, the poor, the working people, democracy and freedom. Nice events and info. Avoid any CrimethInc/​Illegalist/​dumpster diver/​Zerzan garbage and read about real pro-​organization anarchist, environmentalist, punk, cowboy (the Chinese, black, native American and Mexican ones), and anti-​racist punk and skinhead history.

I ventured in here the other day, vaguely looking for a book on spirituality/​philosophy/​inner-​peace. The staff was very accommodating, and though they didn’t have what I was looking for, the young man working there provided me with several thoughtful book suggestions after I explained that I wanted to «forget about all the terrible things that are happening, fit in, and be happy» rather than get fired up about social injustice and changing the world — which is more properly what «The Collective» seems to be about. To each his own, I suppose.
Cool place — although due to their very specialized selection, I would imagine to the average reader, it would appear more as a novelty bookstore than somewhere to browse and find something to read. Definitely worth a look, though.

I love the Lucy Parson’s Center. Whenever I want to read a book that I can’t find at a local library, my first stop for finding a copy is always Lucy Parson’s, because I would much rather support awesome radical anarchists than a soulless megacorp like Amazon. But hey, that’s just how us crazy leftists swing. :)
Don’t let the lack of clientele (the story has always been empty when I’ve been in, save for a person or two working at the desk) put you off, just consider it your own private book sanctuary. There are racks of underground zines as well as mainstream magazines that cover all sorts of issues from LGBTQI and feminism, workers rights and unions, environmentalism and veganism. The books are divided into sections and you can usually find books both new and used.
Lucy Parson’s also carries Slingshots, the awesome radical organizer, which usually come out in October or November.
I really like the people who work here, though I don’t know any of them, they’re usually very helpful and willing to have a conversation about books, current events, or their upcoming movie night.
Another awesome thing about Lucy Parson’s is their restroom. It’s clean, they let patrons use it, and it’s covered with awesome posters and radical bumper stickers.
Definitely check this place out if you’re into awesome indie bookstores or are tired of the lack of awesome radical books in soulless stores such as Barnes and Noble.

i haven’t visited in a while but i know that the rockin radical film nights are still happening — wednesdays — so go :) hurrah for having «dragon ladies: asian american feminists breathe fire» in stock. get on their listserve… much to know!

When I happened upon The Lucy Parsons Center in Boston, I was relieved. Back in New York City I used to visit a similar store called Bluestockings and I missed it a lot.
The Lucy Parsons center has a great selection of radical and leftists books, from cultural history to DIY crafts. When I went in to browse not many people were around, but I suppose the torrential rain outside must have made this the case. Besides your standard book fair, they also have the best selection of magazines I’ve found so far in Boston. After signing up for their email newsletter, I’m looking forward to checking out some of the events they host in their South End store front.

I was lured to the Lucy Parsons Center for Stencil Nation book tour with Russel Howze and was immediately seduced by the lone green leather couch at te back of the store, the multitude of ‘gently used’, thought-​provoking books, the worn carpet and the bad ass lineup of FREE events!
But soon after my first visit, I realized there was so much more! Not your typical book stores with not your typical books, this collectively run shop is filled with a whole bunch of material (old, new and totally progressive) that would surely fire up some folks of conservative backgrounds.
Their meeting space is free to local activist groups for events and gatherings, they benefit greatly from community donations and are a testament to the concepts of empowerment, education and the community’s need for discussing and bringing ideas to light.

The Lucy Parsons Center is a fantastic, collectively run bookstore in the South End… the kind Boston could certainly use a lot more of. Not only do they have a well-​rounded selection of radical literature, but they also carry used books at very reasonable prices. I was lucky enough to score a a sweet, vintage copy of «Their Eyes Were Watching God» for a buck, so be sure to check out their fiction section. They also have a nice little zine library, an outdated but still stellar stash of magazines you’d be hard-​pressed to find elsewhere, awesome prints, and a seriously comfortable couch.
The staff is incredibly helpful, but also laid back. You can really take your time here. Even if you’re the only person in the shop, you never feel rushed, which I appreciate with every fiber of my ridiculously indecisive being. Lucy Parsons has great business hours too. They’re open seven days a week; 12−9pm Monday-​Friday, and 12−6pm Saturday and Sunday. But what I really love about the LPC is that it also functions as a much needed community space for political talks, organizing meetings, workshops, radical film night, and benefit shows.
And to the collective member who often works (for free!) on Friday nights and has never, ever complained when the events run long: you, sir, are the shit.

I was on the quest for slingshot organizers when I discovered this book store. I arrived during movie night so it was pretty dim and I was trying to keep as quiet as possible as to not disrupt the attention of others.
They had a great selection of book ‚(some of which I am already familiar with and others that I need to go back to get)
They are non profit in the true sense but do accept donations to help pay for rent and stuff.
I always find it refreshing when I see establishments like this nestled between the starbuck’s and the gap’s. I just hope this one manages to stick around. They always seem to disappear so quickly.

Radical. Get yer Noam Chomsky here. Awesome selection of «other» books from homegrown SouthEnd Press, couches to sit on and talk anarchist politics on, the most interesting volunteer staff in Boston.

«More dangerous than a thousand rioters.» That’s how the Chicago police described activist Lucy Parsons in the 1920s. The same could be said about this independent bookstore, which sports the largest selection of progressive literature in the city. They occasionally feature lectures and live music in their store. And every Wednesday is ‘radical film night.‘
This is one of the coolest bookstores in Boston, and it is at least worth a visit.