Behind the Zine Scenes #1: The Feminist Bookstore

The Feminist Bookstore was one of the earliest San Diego shops to add itself to ZineMap. The listing highlights an artist-run zine section where creators keep all proceeds, manage their own stock, and handle their own payment methods. The rack is currently maintained by Aleah, a zinester whose own path into DIY publishing began after joining the shop. I reached out to learn how this setup took shape, how curation works, and the kinds of community connections that grow around it.

Can you give us a brief history of the Feminist Bookstore and how the zine section came about?
We are a super new bookstore; we only opened in February (2025). I came in around July, so the bookstore was already up and running. The person I worked with before was a really talented zinester, and they are the one who set up our zine rack. I had heard of zines, but they encouraged me to make one, which opened a door. I owe all the credit to them, and I have tried to carry on their legacy to the best of my ability.

A cozy corner of The Feminist Bookstore. — A cozy corner of The Feminist Bookstore · Photo by Aleah C

So before working here, you weren’t making zines at all?
No, I wasn’t. Now I’m on my fourth. I really love making zines. It is a great outlet and a great way to get information out and share it with other people. I’ve mostly sold to friends and some people I meet at events. Since I’m so new to it, I love talking to people, getting advice, or looking at their zines for inspiration.

How does the zine section work at your shop?
The selection is entirely artist-run. Zinesters keep 100% of the money because, on our end, it’s virtually hands off. I’ll organize the rack and put up a sign, but stock, inventory, and printing are entirely the artist's responsibility. They put their preferred payment method on the back of the zine or on a card, like Venmo or Cash App. It’s straight from buyer to seller.

It’s rare to see a setup where the artist keeps everything. Most places take a percentage.
I know. I sell my zines at other bookstores, and their rate is 50%. Here I wanted to do it differently. The setup is very self-sufficient. And since we are working with small, local, independent artists who just want to get their work out there and maintain everything on their own, we are not trying to take any of that money away from them.

The zine rack at The Feminist Bookstore. — The zine rack at The Feminist Bookstore · Photo by Aleah C

How many zinesters are you actively working with?
Let me take a look… we have five right now. When my coworker left, there were two zine makers connected to them, so it used to be about seven. And then there’s also a children’s author who donates some of the money to rescue cats, so I let her put her book on the zine shelf. I donate all the money I make off my zines to a local mutual aid coalition. I don’t pocket any of it.

How do new zines usually find their way onto your shelves?
People call, DM or email me, and I try to get back to them. I make sure the topics align with the values of the bookstore. I don’t want to carry something in bad taste or offensive. I’ll look at their Instagram or other writing to make sure everything checks out, then I'll go through the zine to make sure there are proper sources and that it reads well. I tell them that they are responsible for maintaining their stock and printing their payment info. Some people have emailed asking me to print and assemble their zines from a digital file, but I have to say no because we’re such a small bookstore, and it would take away the whole point of the money going to the author.

Some of the zines currently on the rack at The Feminist Bookstore. — Some of the zines currently on the rack at The Feminist Bookstore · Photo by Aleah C

It sounds like there’s a lot of care that goes into the curation. Where would you draw the line between a zine and a non-zine?
If somebody works with a large publisher, or they want a lot of money for it, that probably would not fit. Pricing is a big aspect. Many makers use sliding pay scales. It will say $1-$5 for a little one, $5-$10 for a big one. I really like that. Sometimes they write it on the back of the zine and sometimes it’s on a card with their payment info. I’ll take any format whether it’s small folded ones, bound ones or saddle stitched.

I saw that you tabled at events like San Diego Zine Fest. What does being part of the San Diego zine scene look like for you personally?
I like going in person to other indie bookstores in San Diego. Sometimes I DM beforehand and ask if they would be open to carrying my zines, and other times I just show up. I like talking to bookstore people because there is always a lot to talk about. At events, I sometimes appear under the bookstore's name and other times under my own.

I’d love to ask how you found ZineMap, since you’re one of the few shops that added yourselves!
I came across one of your Instagram posts about being a map for zines and checked it out immediately. As a zine maker, it really excited me. It really helps you understand where your community is, and you feel not alone. I haven’t encountered anything like ZineMap. I hope it gets bigger and bigger. I’ve sent your profile to some local bookstores that carry zines and asked them to add themselves to the list.

Thank you for helping spread the word! Before we wrap up, is there anything we haven’t covered that you want to share?
I want to encourage as many people as possible to read zines and make zines. I didn’t know anything about zines, and now I’m making my fourth. Zines are really accessible. I print mine at the library for 15 cents. There are so many resources available. With self-publishing, you’re giving yourself the chance to write whatever you care about. And I think that is probably the greatest thing about zines. They are deeply personal. We used to carry a zine here called Things That Give the Same Vibe as My Birthday: March 12th. It was hilarious, and I loved it. We also had zines like This Is What My Dogs Would Be If They Were in a Riot Grrrl Band. It is so out there, and I love it so much.

A huge thank you to Aleah and The Feminist Bookstore for sharing their story. You can support them by checking out the shop and explore their artist-run rack next time you're in San Diego! And if you’re looking for more zine shops, libraries, and festivals, ZineMap is growing every day - come find your people :)