The Revolution Evolution
La evolución de Revolution

The Revolution Evolution

Story and photos by Sherry Mazzocchi

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When Andy Zee walked by an empty Harlem storefront a few months ago, it was as if he found gold.

There it was—14,000 square feet of storefront space for rent without a real estate broker.

It was perfect for the new location of Revolution Books—a 37-year-old institution for intellectual discourse on social change, political counter culture and all things revolutionary.

Perfect except that the space had no running water, heat or air conditioning. On top of that, the ceiling had unforeseen problems. It turned out to be wood instead of cement and required a different level of steel construction. And the pipes weren’t up to code, which meant renovations would be way over budget.

But that hasn’t damped spirits. Zee, the store’s spokesperson said, “You don’t open a bookstore to make money. You open a bookstore to expose people to ideas.”

Located at Malcolm X Boulevard and 132^nd Street, the store is slated to open sometime in October.

“We are very excited about being in Harlem,” Zee said. “It’s still a place where there is tremendous ferment culturally and intellectually.”

For nearly four decades, Revolution Books was located downtown—first in Union Square and then in Chelsea. When store’s lease expired, the landlord allowed them to stay on a month-by month-basis at a low rate.

“He was willing to rent to us just to cover his expenses,” said Zee. “The tradeoff was then when he got a tenant we had to be out in a flash.”

Now the all-volunteer bookstore is raising funds to open uptown. They had already raised more than $70,000 for renovations—including a $30,000 IndieGoGo campaign. But they need another $45,000 to finish the restoration. They’re also seeking donations of audio and lighting equipment, flat screen TVs and computers.

On a rainy October day, Zee and store manager C. Clark Kissinger examined a proposed ceiling tile—a large white square with a faux pressed tin design. When they agreed it would work, Kissinger said, “I’ll call Home Despot and order some.”

The new store will have between 5,000 and 6,000 titles. There will also be a used book section—curated specifically for hard-to-find out of print books. Art donated by Faith Ringgold and Shepard Fairey will adorn the walls. There are plans for a small coffee bar. While the front will have shelves and tables loaded with books, the back of the store will have a spacious children’s section and a stage for events.

Zee said the store’s events attract a broad spectrum of people. Authors and artists always come away impressed by the discussion.

“There are deep intellectuals who trained themselves in prisons or who came up on the hard streets,” he said. “Or students who grapple with these ideas or people whose passion for the word is connected up with a social responsibility.”

Among the speakers, artists and authors who have presented at Revolution Books are Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Junot Diaz, Denis O’Hare, Dr. Cornel West, Lewis Lapham, Arturo O’Farrill, and Melvin Van Peebles.

Those discussions and interactions are at the heart of what makes the store so unique and necessary, he said. “You learn by that exchange. That’s the important thing of having a brick and mortar establishment.”

He envisions the new store as a meeting place for the exchange of ideas and a resource for people who want to know more.

“The fact that there’s a bookstore talking about a different way to organize society is extraordinary,” he said.

For more information, please visit www.revolutionbooksnyc.org or call 212.691.3345.

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IN THE MEANTIME…

Avid readers can visit Revolution Books NYC Without Walls while the new space is under construction at these sites:

Every Wednesday, 3-6 p.m.
Book table by Harlem Hospital

135 Street and Malcolm X Boulevard/Lenox Avenue

Every Saturday, 1:30-4 p.m.
Book table at 125th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard/Lenox Avenue