Red Herring Cooperative Books

Red Herring Co-operative Books was incorporated in 1977 to found and manage the Red Herring Co-op Bookstore, which existed from 1977 to 1996. The bookstore was an independent cooperative attempting to serve the Atlantic region by providing access to books that were difficult to find; these related to feminism, labour, international issues, the Third World, children, non-mainstream topics and social issues. The Red Herring was the only bookstore of its kind in Atlantic Canada during its existence, and also served as a focal point for social and community activism in Nova Scotia. The store was financed by the sale of shares, which entitled the purchaser to full membership and voting rights, and the store itself was operated and managed mainly by volunteers. The co-op provided special orders, a mail order service, operated book tables at community events, and sponsored readings and autographing sessions by prominent Canadian artists such as Nancy White and Rick Salutin. In 1987 the store had sales of over $100,000. But it also weathered several financial crises as other bookstores were catching up in terms of alternate titles. The store closed in late 1996.