By Guest Author Holly Smith
The Mothership
“Quimby’s is the mothership,” proudly declares Cynthia E. Hanifin, producer of Zine Club Chicago which often meets at the bookstore at 1854 W. North Ave. An independent neighborhood bookstore located in Wicker Park, Quimby's has proudly served Chicago for 33 years, going through all the changes in Wicker Park during that time. For those unfamiliar with Quimby’s, besides selling books, Quimby’s also sells an impressive selection of zines—an accessible short form of publishing with a handmade aspect and aesthetic
“We are the backbone of a lot of independent publishing in Chicago. In my mind that level of inspiration is something to celebrate,” shares Liz Mason, manager of Quimby’s. And on Saturday, September 21, celebrate we did.
In order to ring in 6 years of Zine Club Chicago and 33 years of Quimby’s, the store hosted the club’s “Cut-and-Paste Challenge” alongside the “Quimbiversary.”
Having only been to Quimby’s once, I'd honestly forgotten about the quirky, eclectic, and radical vibe of the store. However, what most stood out to me was how welcoming the atmosphere was. I have only made two zines in my life (one of them about Scooby-Doo) so I was a bit nervous that I would be out of place in this space. But I needn’t have worried.
The “Cut-and-Paste Challenge” had six sections to it, and I completed each section.
Strange Snax Sampling
One tradition of Zine Club Chicago is bringing in unique snack options. Hanifin continued this tradition by bringing in delicious and varied sweets. I sampled gummy sushi that did not taste like sushi and played gummy pickle roulette (I think I won when I tasted sweet apple instead of gelatinized brine). For those less adventurous, there were also more conventional snacks of cupcakes and seltzer.
Running with Scissors Relay
This challenge got me out of my shell. I teamed up with another Quimby’s fan and we set out to run with scissors. Before you panic, they were large pink cardboard scissors that could not have cut anything. I stationed myself at one end of the store and the other person ran quickly to me, scissors held aloft. When they handed them to me, I ran back to Hanifin who was the keeper of the scissors. It was a moment of childlike glee as we had seemingly broken the rules, but with the safety of being told to do so.
“At some point for the running of the scissors we played the “Chariots of Fire” theme song and later we got air horns involved,” added Mason.
Backbone of the Zine Community
A total of 33 paper vertebrae were set out for decoration to celebrate the 33 years of the Quimby’s. I witnessed a mix of art styles on them, while mine—which I decorated with my favorite animal: an alligator—was more amateurish than others. Yet, the atmosphere was such that I did not feel judged for it.
Selfie with the Red Devil Lady
Described as “the most photographed woman in Wicker Park,” the vibrant Red Devil Lady oversaw the fun. She sat regally poised, naked save for a sparkly silver skull necklace and a large purple birthday hat to mark the occasion. I gladly snapped a selfie—eager to share my experience.
Zine Memories Wall
While I had been to Quimby’s once, I had never attended Zine Club Chicago before, so I was a little unsure how to complete the task of sharing a favorite memory of the club. Reflecting on the moment, I wrote how welcome I felt at the event on a green—my favorite color—star and affixed it to the wall of memories.
That’s Your New Band Name
The final challenge asked attendees to peruse the zines and choose one title that would make a great band name. I gazed around at the fantastic variety of zines and had a difficult time selecting one. Ultimately, I thought Porchbeers had the right grunge ring to it. It also made me wonder what I’d call my own zines that lived solely in my head and scraps of paper.
Joining In
After turning in my challenge sheet, I took time to look at the selection of titles more deeply, zine and otherwise, at Quimby’s. It was hard not to be almost overwhelmed by the variety.
“You can create and distribute zines completely anonymously and about anything from what to do if you’re arrested to how to find abortion care to what to do if ICE shows up at your doo," explains Hanifin. "The personality and the viewpoint of the person who creates the zines always comes through and that’s always special. You make a personal connection when you purchase one that isn’t replicable in another form.”
I certainly found inspiration on my visit to Quimby’s and determined to make one before the year is out. I fully agree with something Hanifin said about Zine Club Chicago, “You can walk in and not know anyone and feel welcomed and have people to chat with. It’s a very come as you are kind of vibe.”
At the moment, Zine Club Chicago meets once a month, alternating between in person and online. This is to increase the accessibility of the club. Additionally, “Zine Club Chicago is always free; it will always be free,” affirmed Hanifin.
For those like me interested in joining, Hanifin said “The best thing to do is find us on social media @zineclubchicago on Instagram, X, and Facebook. Quimbys.com always lists our events on the events page. We very much encourage people to come out and join us even if you’ve never heard of zines or if you’re really shy, we’ll welcome you.”
Hanifin concluded with, “Zine Club Chicago really would not be possible without the support of Quimby’s and Liz Mason. We’ve also had several makers donate their proceeds back to the club. Additionally, Anna Joe Beck does all of the designing we need. I might be the producer, and Quimby’s might be the sponsor, but what makes us is our members. The vibe of being welcoming and supportive absolutely comes from the people in the group.”
Holly Smith is a communications specialist with a history in publishing and the bookstore world. Now she tackles book and literary event reviews one at a time. You can read more of her book reviews at Holly Reviews, Bookman!.
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