Kristin J. Thompson isn’t shy about letting customers know what her business, MyrtleHaus Books & Publishing, is all about. Thompson’s original project, the MyrtleHaus literary magazine, was launched to address the underrepresentation of women in the St. Louis literary community.
Now, the project has expanded to include the recently opened brick-and-mortar bookstore and event space (2604 Cherokee), where community is central to its mission. That doesn’t necessarily mean providing a space for everyone, though. Flyers at the center of a cozy sitting area declare “Don’t open for ICE” in bold red letters. Labels proudly remind visitors that MyrtleHaus is a queer, woman-owned space, and the journal copies on display are full of local woman writers. Designer A’iesha Rooks works with Thompson as the shop’s cultural and social integrity director, helping to curate the collection and evaluate the stories and authors featured on its shelves.
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Thompson says she has always fielded some angry calls and emails from folks who don’t support the women- and minority-focused mission of her projects, and they’ve only increased since the shop has opened and her profile has raised. It’s not always pleasant, but Thompson doesn’t mind.
“[Since opening the store], I get double, if not triple, the amount of people who are like, Ew. They get on the Instagram page, and they see ‘women-owned,’ and they’re just enraged. That is the point. We want those people to stay away,” she told SLM in February. “I’m not scared of losing business at all if that’s the kind of business that I’m losing. And I’d love to be an example to the rest of the community that they don’t have to cater to hateful people in order to be successful. Because I’m telling you right now, it’s the slowest month of the year for bookstores, and I’m still doing fine.”
READ MORE: SLM’s guide to local bookstores
Among the shelves that lead readers to expected sections such as poetry, biographies, and horror is a cart labeled “Educate Yourself,” featuring titles such as Can They Do That? A Guide to Your Rights on the Job and Noam Chomsky’s American Power. There’s a front-and-center shelf dedicated to banned books. Many of them have been gathered from castoff school collections, something that deeply worries Thompson. In February, she found five copies of The Diary of Anne Frank that had been donated by three different schools, which she calls “one of the scariest experiences” she has had.
“That is the thing that we sell the most: banned books. Because people come in here looking for knowledge and information. And that’s the kind of store that I want to be,” Thompson says. “I think having a used bookstore, especially one like this, where we’re catering to minorities and women and the community, it’s going be very, very important to have access to that literature.”
As the store continues to grow and settle into its Cherokee Street space, Thompson’s hope is that MyrtleHaus becomes a place where marginalized communities and those who support them will feel safe and welcome. Readings, writers’ salons, workshops, and book clubs are all on the horizon. A free book cart provides access to literature, and snacks and water are available for anyone who needs them.
“Despite it being a bookstore, I want people to know, first and foremost, that [MyrtleHaus] is a safe third space,” Thompson says. “That if it’s someone who feels scared going into certain stores, or feels like they don’t fit into a certain niche, or if they feel uncomfortable going into a space because it’s primarily run by men or by straight people or white people—I understand that, and I want them to know that they are welcome in this space. Not everyone is welcome in this space, but they are welcome in this space.”
Bookmark it
Recommendations from MyrtleHaus owner Kristin J.Thompson:
- 1984 by George Orwell
- Blood and Guts in High School by Kathy Acker
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
- White Oleander by Janet Fitch
