About
Indy-minded all-around bookshop known for its feminist & kid focus, with regular author appearances.
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What People Say
“Women & Children First is a beloved independent bookstore in Chicago, praised for its diverse and inclusive selection of books, particularly in feminism, LGBTQ+ literature, and children's books. Reviewers highlight the friendly and helpful staff, as well as the welcoming community atmosphere fostered by regular author events and book clubs. Some customers noted that certain areas of the store can be tight for wheelchair access, but overall, the positive sentiment is strong.”
Location
Hours
Monday: 12:00 – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PMToday
Events at Women & Children First
5 upcoming · 63 in the past 90 days
Upcoming events
July 2026
Past events (last 90 days)
April 2026
Apr
29
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AMWomen & Children First
Event
Apr
29
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AMWomen & Children First
Event
Apr
29
HY
Hybrid Event: The Way Disabled People Love Each Other by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Community
Apr
30
EM
Emotional Support Animals: Anonymous Fuzzball Comics + Workbook
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Apr
30
Emotional Support Animals: Anonymous Fuzzball Comics + Workbook by Nicole Georges
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
May 2026
May
1
Green Card Youth Voices: Chicago Reading
06:30 PMWomen & Children First
Event
May
3
ME
Memory Museum: Stories by M Lin
06:30 PMWomen & Children First
Event
May
5
Fat Swim by Emma Copley Eisenberg
07:00 PMOffsite at Haymarket House
Event
May
6
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AMWomen & Children First
Event
May
10
Women Aging with Wisdom and Grace Salon/Discussion Group
10:30 AMWomen & Children First
Community
May
11
BA
Banned Books Book Group
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Community
May
12
Beloved Disciples by Mario Elías
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
May
13
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AM
Event
May
13
We Dance Upon Demons by Vaishnavi Patel
07:00 PMDorothy
Event
May
18
Classics of Women's Literature Book Group
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
May
19
Women's Book Group
07:30 PMWomen & Children First
Community
May
20
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AM
Event
May
21
CH
Chicago Food Festival
11:00 AMHalsted St. from Belmont to Addison
Event
May
21
UG
Ugly: A Letter to My Daughter by Stephanie Fairyington
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
May
27
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AM
Event
May
27
DO
Don't Fight Back: And 10 Other Myths about Crime, Personal Safety, and Gender-Based Violence by M...
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
May
28
Kids First Book Group
04:30 PMWomen & Children First
Event
May
28
Plastic, Prism, Void: Part One by Violet Allen
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
June 2026
Jun
3
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AM
Event
Jun
3
Where You'll Find Us by Jen St. Jude
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
3
TR
Trivingo Night
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
4
OF
Offsite at Haymarket House: Tillie Walden
07:00 PMOffsite at Haymarket House
Event
Jun
8
Banned Books Book Group
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Community
Jun
10
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
10
Break the System: Criminalized Black Mothers and the Reproductive Politics of Abolition
06:30 PMWomen & Children First
Community
Jun
11
Spawning Season: An Experiment in Queer Parenthood by Joseph Osmundson
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Community
Jun
14
SU
Summer Carnival Festival
10:00 AMHalsted St. from Belmont to Addison
Event
Jun
14
PR
Pride Parade Chicago 2026
12:00 PMHalsted St. from Belmont to Addison
Community
Jun
16
WO
Women's Book Group
07:30 PMWomen & Children First
Community
Jun
16
WO
Women's Book Group
07:30 PMWomen & Children First
Community
Jun
17
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
17
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
17
TH
The Maidenheads by Benny B. Peterson
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
17
Celebration Gathering
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
18
Orange by Noel Quiñones
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
22
CL
Classics of Women's Literature Book Group
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Community
Jun
23
Earth 7 by Deb Olin Unferth
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
24
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
24
TH
The Very Definition of Love by Sophia Benoit
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
24
This Week at BSA
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
25
Grafting by Rylan Hynes
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
26
Poetry Reading: Bloodroom by Kay E. Bancroft
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jun
28
HOTBOX Pride!
02:00 PMHalsted St. from Belmont to Addison
Party
July 2026
Jul
1
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AMWomen & Children First
Event
Jul
3
PR
Pride Parade and Festival Chicago 2026
Time TBDHalsted St. from Belmont to Addison
Community
Jul
7
Offsite Book Launch: Fatimah Asghar's Daughter of the Mountains
07:00 PMXoco House Gallery
Event
Jul
8
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AM
Event
Jul
8
A
A Second Sight by Sarah J. Jackson
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jul
8
A
A Second Sight by Sarah J. Jackson
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jul
13
CL
Closed for Inventory
Time TBDWomen & Children First
Event
Jul
13
BA
Banned Books Book Group
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Community
Jul
13
BA
Banned Books Book Group
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Community
Jul
15
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AM
Event
Jul
20
CL
Classics of Women's Literature Book Group
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Event
Jul
21
WO
Women's Book Group
07:30 PMWomen & Children First
Community
Jul
22
WE
Weekly Morning Storytime!
10:30 AM
Event
Jul
23
TH
The New People by Andrea Uptmor
07:00 PMWomen & Children First
Community
Jul
25
AN
Annual Basement Cleanout Sale!
11:00 AMWomen & Children First
Event
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