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An anarchist bookstore run entirely by volunteers might seem an unlikely candidate for longevity. But Philadelphia’s Wooden Shoe Books has survived for half a century on South Street.
“I’m amazed we still exist,” said Carl Craft, one of the store’s founders. “Really, it’s a mystery to me.”
The bookstore is marking its 50th anniversary Saturday with a black-flag block party to celebrate the history of radical literature and activism in Philly. Attendees can hear local musicians, listen to poetry, get their hands on free and heavily discounted books, and exchange goods at “swap spaces” on South Street’s 700 block.
Visitors can also browse a miniature museum chronicling the history of left-wing organizing in the city, in which the bookstore plays an enduring role.
How has the store survived for 50 years?
“I mean, the finances are a huge part of it,” Craft said, chuckling.
Wooden Shoe operates on volunteer labor, which has not been free from challenges, he said. But Craft credits its longevity to something less tangible.
“Actually, it’s people; it’s the power of an ideology,” he said.
“We’ve got all different levels of participation, but operating with volunteers is a sort of self-selection,” Craft said. “The people in here are people who really care.”
Aside from selling books, Wooden Shoe has served as a meeting point for groups across Philly’s left-wing political communities since its inception in 1976.
“Our mission statement is pretty soft. We did that for a reason. Everyone on the left is welcome here, not just anarchists,” Craft said.
“We’ve worked with [Democratic Socialists of America]. We hold deescalation trainings. We have poetry readings. Anything left or anti-fascist — or fun — we’ve probably had it here at some point.”
Its October calendar includes a lock-picking event, a letter-writing effort for incarcerated LGBTQ+ people and a music and poetry fundraiser for a woman in Gaza who recently gave birth.
“It’s a great space to get introduced to other spaces,” said Sara Frunzi, a Drexel robotics graduate student and regular volunteer at Wooden Shoe.
