Feminist businesses

One of the oldest feminist bookstores, Antigone Books.

Feminist bookstores hold a part of the second-wave feminism movement inside their stores, with expansion of the bookstores beginning in the 1980s.[5] In 1983 there were around 100 bookstores located in North America, which created over $400 million in sales annually.[5] Independent bookshops have declined generally in the 21st century[6] and there are in 2016 there were thought to be fewer than 20 feminist bookstores.[2] The oldest surviving example, Antigone Books, is in Tucson, Arizona.[2] The 13 book stores host feminist events to support feminism as well as carry books about the topics of queer theories, animal rights, lesbian fiction, gay studies, and also information about different cultures.[2]

Notable stores include Amazon Bookstore Cooperative and Silver Moon Bookshop.

During the Thanksgiving of 1975, the founding women of the Feminist Economic Alliance (FEA) met in Detroit, Michigan at a conference to discuss the problems women faced with money.[7] Two leading women for the alliance in 1975 were Susan Osborne and Linda Maslanko, both from New York.[7] They were the spokeswomen for FEA and educated the public on what the alliance meant and what the future of FEA looked like after splitting into eight geographic regions.[7] The Feminist Economic Alliance was created to aid new sister credit unions as well as allowing any women to become economically powerful, independent, or grow as an individual.[7] This independence for women was going to be achieved by encouraging, assisting, and promoting the women of feminist credit unions and feminist enterprises.[7] The main idea behind this new alliance was that older sister credit unions could help the new developing credit unions by sharing research, resources, and guidance in the process.[7]

In the 1970s during the second wave feminist movement, women had the urge to fight unequal credit so they created their own non-profit, financial institutions so that men were no longer in control of their money.[8] The co-manager of the union, Susan Osborne, was creating an environment for women to save money as well as help other women in need.[8] By creating their own credit unions, women were able to avoid being discriminated based on their gender even though the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 banned credit unions from discriminating potential customers.[9] The women being excluded from receiving loans despite the law in place, were divorced women, low-income women, women needing legal money or women on welfare.[8] Establishing feminist credit unions meant that they would now be able to receive loans hassle free, save their money, and gain money management counseling.[10] When receiving credit, women are viewed by their individual character rather than if they were married or single.[10] A woman no longer has to be the co-signer, she can now be in control of her money.[10] The unions run no differently than any other union, in fact, the feminist credit unions are governed by the same laws as the normal credit unions.[10]

The earliest form of feminist restaurants took shape in suffrage restaurants, tea rooms, or lunch rooms.[22] Food was sold at a low cost of five or ten cents and men were permitted to eat, in hopes of women persuading men to support a certain political cause.[22] These restaurants suffered from conflicts dealing with the founders and donators.[22] Alva Belmont, a wealthy socialite, was the founder of a suffrage restaurant that was known for strict rules and a fast pace.[22] The ideas and motives behind these suffrage restaurants in the 1910s were the foundations for the feminist restaurants in the 1970s.[22]

In April 1972, the first feminist restaurant, Mother Courage, was founded by Dolores Alexander in New York.[22] Bloodroot, a vegan/vegetarian feminist restaurant and bookstore located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has been in business since 1977.[23]

Feminist restaurants are used more as a place to gather and socialize rather than eating.[22] The restaurants were used to share ideas, literature, educate one another and to promote the feminist movement.[22] Guest speakers, political speakers, poets, or musicians would come to the restaurants to promote issues or spread awareness.[24] Coffee houses and cafes are also popular among the feminist movement.[24] Restaurants offered same pay to every staff member, which was entirely women.[22] The style was simple and supported the movements that were occurring during that time.[22] They support other occupations by avoiding certain products such as lettuce and grapes for the farmers or boycotting orange juice for the anti-gay campaign.[22] Feminist restaurants were also notable for treating women or lesbians with respect in a non-hostile environment.[22] A women who is dining with a man will be given a wine sample as well as the check at the end of the meal.[22] That was typical not the case in restaurants that were not catered to feminism.[22]

In today's society, feminist businesses look different besides the few bookstores left in the world.[2] There are over hundreds of companies created by women, that have a purpose besides making money such as changing our society, impacting employers and the consumers they reach.[25] One famous company started by a woman that has been successful is Tory Burch.[25] She created the store from nothing and has been able to create a multibillion-dollar business as well as a foundation called the Tory Burch Foundation in 2009, to help empower women and female entrepreneurs.[25] Today feminist business are about empowering women in the shape of products sold, campaigns run, and businesses created.[26][25] Maggie O'Carroll co-founded The Women's Organisation, initially named Train 2000, in 1996.[27] Her organization is UK's largest female enterprise agency and has supported over 70,000 enterprising women and helped created over 4,000 businesses.

• Sh! Women's Erotic Emporium, the UK's first feminist sex shop