Mayday Books

Of all the bookstores in the world, Mayday Bookstore in Minneapolis, Minnesota is the nearest and dearest to my heart.

For seven years when I lived in the Twin Cities, I volunteered at Mayday Bookstore every Saturday afternoon, opening the store at 12pm (or sometime between 12 and 12:30, whenever I happened to arrive) and working the 12 - 3pm shift. It was a very relaxing job - no cash register, computer, and since all books were 15% off the cover price, you didn't have to worry about being very exact with the final price. But the reason I volunteered at Mayday had nothing to do with the ease of the job. Mayday Bookstore is truly a community, one that is centered around a cause. At Mayday, the volunteer workers oftentimes give their own money to the store to keep it afloat, reflected in one of their mottos: Not making a profit since 1975.

Mayday Bookstore is a progressive community space, centered around books, but involving much more. Non-profit and volunteered-run, its goal isn't making money. Rather, the bookstore provides progressive activists of the Twin Cities area with a place to meet and congregate, discuss books and ideas, and organize around political issues. To get to Mayday Books, it might be a good idea to get directions first. It is located in the popular West Bank neighborhood, near the university, but unless you approach the area southbound on Cedar Ave. you might not see its basement entrance. The best landmark is Midwest Mountaineering, the block-long sporting goods store on Cedar Avenue. Mayday is in the basement below Midwest Mountaineering, actually below and to the side of this store, facing north toward 19th street.

In entering the store, one notices right away that they are in a vibrant political space. Colorful campaign and issue signs decorate the store, marking the progressive causes of the Twin Cities area, some of which were initiated and organized right from the bookstore. Also affecting the atmosphere, the walls are of gray and damp stone, which exudes the sense that one is in a catacombs. The store's walls are lined with book shelves, reaching to the ceiling, and sporting the political titles of labor, feminism, environmentalism, socialism, anarchism, black history, Native American, and Middle East. In the middle of the store, there is a comfortable maroon sofa, numerous book and card displays, and two large tables in the center where people will oftentimes ruminate over political issues of the day. The experience one has shopping at the store depends greatly on who is there at the time. Sometimes it will be just the volunteer worker at the large desk, immediately beneath the store sign, and your browsing of the store will be mostly quiet and peaceful. At other times, the store is bustling with activity. There may be a meeting going on, large or small, or activists might be informally meeting and discussing plans for the day. Sometimes, there will be a number of people conversing on issues. Only once in awhile does the conversation get boisterous and heated, but it should be said, this was a big draw for me. Not knowing what to expect on any given day is what makes the place so unique!

Even though Mayday Books is a progressive store, everyone is always welcome, no matter their political affiliation. What makes the store so special is the people who work and shop there. It's one of those places in America where community still exists, triumphing over the crass and cold materialism of the chains and larger stores.

Mayday Books
301 Cedar Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota 44545
(612)-333-4719
www.maydaybookstore.org
maydaybookstore.blogspot.com