Akimbo is a woman-owned, independent bookstore in Rochester, New York that opened in April of 2022. In our first eight months we hosted nearly 50 accessible community events, creating a community of care, art, music, and social justice education.
However, at the start of the New Year, the store suffered from a three-alarm fire in the building and we faced a total loss.
Because of overwhelming community support, we’re rebuilding in Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts.
To stay in the know on our progress through this next chapter, please sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Instagram. To support us during this challenging time, please purchase books here or donate to our crowdfunding campaign.
Our Books
We specialize in titles published by small presses focusing in two areas:
- Social justice (socio-political education, titles on class, race, anti-capitalism, environmentalism, community health, LGBTQAI rights, intersectional feminism…).
- Contemporary literature in translation — making sure you don’t miss out on international talent coming from small presses around the globe today.
We publish online reviews of some of our favorites on our Book Reviews page and we often feature new titles on our Instagram feed.
You can also order just about anything from us through our online store on Bookshop.org.
Gift Cards
Give the perfect gift! Get a voucher for yourself or gift one to a friend, for books or any of the other merchandise in the shop: calendars, journals, Tarot / Oracle decks, sketchbooks, and more. Click here to buy a gift card online — lots of fun colors and styles available for all occasions!
Audiobooks
If you’re an audiobook listener, please visit our affiliate page at Libro.fm. Your purchases there help support Akimbo!
Events
Check back as our reopening approaches, for more information on book clubs, authors’ readings, and film screenings. Visit our Events page for details and sign up for our newsletter to let us keep you up to date.
Get the Latest
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for a peek at the fun we’re having every day.
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What’s with the Name?
Arms akimbo is superwoman’s stance. It’s the pose of the Fearless Girl, who challenges the Wall Street Bull. It’s also a Dostoevsky quote, straight from the Underground Man himself, the father of unreason and polemics:
“Two times two is four has a cocky look; it stands in your path, arms akimbo, and spits.”