By Layla Brown-Clark
Medill Reports

There are more than 50 independent bookstores in the Chicago area, each with its own flair and serving as a cornerstone to the culture of its neighborhood.

This is true for Courtney Bledsoe’s Call and Response Bookstore in Hyde Park. 

Call and Response opened May 4 and has become a gem to the community members of Hyde Park. Like many independent bookstores in the city, the owner’s passion for reading and storytelling was one of the keys to opening this bookstore to the public.

“I’ve always been an avid reader,” Bledsoe said. “I loved reading and engaging with books and stories. As I grew older, my passions shifted specifically to reading and sharing books that are authored by people of color.” 

However, Bledsoe’s mission does not stop at providing a space for the public to purchase mainstream and indie titles. She said she wants to uplift BIPOC voices that the book industry often misses. Though there have been moves to amplify these voices, Call and Response specialize in this mission specifically.

“I do think that we’re still in a position right now where those stories are not being amplified in the ways that they should be from a mainstream publishing and book-selling perspective,” Bledsoe said. “What I wanted to do was to have a space that was intentional in uplifting those stories and narratives, whether that be through selling books or through having events that are supporting authors or creatives in other respects.”

To further fulfill this mission, Bledsoe takes her time handpicking each of the books in her store’s small inventory. It helps that she’s read a good amount of the books in her store and can give recommendations depending on a patron’s interest. 

For the books she hasn’t read, Bledsoe often goes through the catalogs with a list of upcoming titles her sales representative sends her way, and she picks the books that best fit the mission of her store.

Bledsoe’s store has received a plethora of support from community members and other businesses in the area. She says this encourages her to continue the pursuits of her business, particularly because so many like-minded individuals are cheering her on.

“Something I love about Hyde Park is the vibrancy of the Black-owned businesses here,” Bledsoe said, “If you walk down the street, a lot of the businesses are great Black-owned businesses. They’re really strong presences here. It’s encouraging to see everybody leaning into their passions and what they are proud of. In this space here in Hyde Park, the community is magnificent.”

Since its grand opening, Bledsoe’s bookstore has held its steady regulars in the space and seen recurring customers. Aside from this, the business has held a variety of events from author talks and book signings to trivia nights. 

Call and Response located at 1390 E. Hyde Park Blvd. is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

Layla Brown-Clark is a magazine graduate student at Medill. You can follow her @laylabclark on Twitter and @laylabrownclark on Instagram.