Collective Bookstore Finds Ways to Keep Up With Modern Times

Many things have changed in the world since Modern Times Bookstore opened in the Mission District of San Francisco in 1971 -- at a time when students and other young people were vocal and active in their opposition to the Vietnam War, to capitalism, and to conformity. Bookstores, like Modern Times, with a progressive political bent and collective management structure, were welcomed by the anti-war, New Left movement. Today, Modern Times remains a collectively owned and operated progressive bookstore, but the political and economic landscape has changed dramatically in the past three decades. To remain a viable business, the collective has found ways to adapt to the times without losing sight of its radical origins. The Modern Times of the 21st century features a cutting-edge inventory of literature on globalization, politics, and the media, as well as cookbooks, mysteries, sexuality and gender sections, bestsellers, and Spanish-language literature and nonfiction in a 3400-square-foot space.

As the store celebrates its 35th birthday this month, its staff has struggled with the decline of independent businesses, the gentrification of the Mission neighborhood, and the competition from chain and online booksellers. In January 2006, the collective considered closing the store.

To continuing serving the community, collective member Brenda O'Sullivan told BTW, Modern Times has adapted in a number of ways and has recently developed a new business plan. "We reached a point in the past year when we realized that without some changes we would not survive. This year several other Bay Area bookstores closed, and we saw our own revenue steadily dropping. We had intense staff meetings over the summer and came up with a big fundraising plan." O'Sullivan described how store members, ex-members, and others were contacted. "Some of our friends, like Jennifer Joseph of Manic D Press, Hari Dillon of the Vanguard Foundation, and Dave Eggers of McSweeney's, sent out letters on our behalf," she said. "The letters explained our poor financial situation and gave specific ways to help.

"People with affiliations were asked to help get their organizations to do institutional book buys. We also suggested that they purchase large quantities of Book Sense Gift cards to use for gifts and donations. We have solicited people to donate a minimum of $200 to sponsor sections of the store. We're putting up plaques with their names or in honor of someone else," O'Sullivan explained. "We know that we can't continue to do fundraising at this level, so we developed a three-pronged approach with our new business plan: First, we're attempting to expand our institutional book buys by doing outreach to colleges and high schools; second, we're going to add used books to our inventory; and third, we're partnering with New College of California."

O'Sullivan, who first joined the staff in 1996, described the partnership forged with New College in July 2006. Both institutions were founded in 1971, are only separated by a block, and have similar outlooks, she explained. The college's mission statement emphasizes the integrations of education and social change to create a more just, sacred, and sustainable world.

"With them," O'Sullivan continued, "we can co-sponsor bigger events, using their facilities, and can publicize them more. The college needs more space and wants to hold weekend classes for the Masters in Creative Writing in our reading room, so they are making improvements to the room, like soundproofing, and will rent it from us. [The College] didn't want us to close for a number of reasons, for one thing, we sell books to the students."

Modern Times also applied for and received an interest-free loan from Rainbow Grocery, a fellow member of NoBAWC (Network of Bay Area Worker Cooperatives, pronounced "no boss"). The store worked with other businesses in the San Francisco Locally Owned Merchants Alliance (SFLOMA).

Since the implementation of the new business plan, memberships are up and so are spirits. Two store birthday parties, both fundraisers, are scheduled for later in the month. Several well-known authors, including peace activist Cindy Sheehan, are scheduled for October. The San Francisco experimental theater company, Cutting Ball Theater, now resides at Modern Times and frequently performs there, as does Ecstatic Monkey Literary Promotions, an organization devoted to helping writers and small presses publicize their work.

This year will also mark the retirement of Modern Times founding collective member Michael Rosenthal. His contributions will be acknowledged by many at the birthday celebrations. A new collective member, one with extensive knowledge of the used book market, is sought. --Nomi Schwartz