United States: DC women's bookstore to close

Off Our Backs, Oct 2000 by Eastlick, Megan, Roberson, Amaya

After contending with financial problems for two years, Lammas Women's Bookstore & More, a 27-year-- old institution in the Washington, DC lesbian community will close on September 30. Because current Lammas owner Sylvia Colon does not feel consistent community support for this kind of women's bookstore, she will not renew the store's lease.

Lammas first opened August 1, 1974 under the supervision of Judy Winsett and Leslie Reeves who founded this store to sell jewelry in the Eastern Market area. The store was named after the Celtic celebration to honor Lammas, the goddess of grain, and continued to flourish under the 17-year ownership of Mary Farmer, who began selling books and music, hosting book readings, and sponsoring sports teams as well as other local events. The store eventually moved to its current Dupont Circle location and was bought by Jane Troxell who lent the store to Lesbian Health workshops, as well as renting movies and selling safer sex kits. Over the years, Lammas has transformed from a store, to a place where women could organize and find support.

"It was the first place I came to identify myself," said Denise Bump who became co-owner with Colon in 1998. Financial problems coupled with community indifference have proved disastrous for the bookstore. Colon also believes that the growth of the Internet and big chain bookstores that carry lesbian and feminist literature have contributed to the demise of Lammas. "But their choice to manage the store more like a co-op and less like a business has been the death of them," said Korina Adkins who helped Colon out of financial trouble a year ago.

-info from The Washington Blade, 9/22/00