Silver Moon Women's Bookshop
"Barely got through the door before blurting out, 'I'm gay and look after the lesbian and gay section of my local Dillons where I work - can I come in?' The women inside laughed at me - kindly and said, 'of course'"
(Customer's memory)
Silver Moon Bookshop, founded in 1984 by Jane Cholmeley and Sue Butterworth, was a pioneering feminist bookshop located on Charing Cross Road in London.
The bookshop specialised in feminist literature, women writers, and LGBTQ+ topics, with a collection of 10,000 titles. The bookshop served as a vital space for promoting women's writing and supporting marginalised voices, offering a safe haven and community hub for women.
Despite facing challenges such as rising rents and societal prejudices, Silver Moon thrived, becoming Europe’s largest women's bookshop. It hosted numerous literary stars, including Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison. The bookshop also actively participated in political activism, such as campaigning against Clause 28.
In 2001, due to financial pressures, Silver Moon was incorporated into Foyles bookshop until 2004, when it ultimately closed. Co-founder Jane Cholmeley later chronicled their journey in her book, A Bookshop of One’s Own.
Silver Moon was more than just a bookshop; it was also a café and gallery dedicated to women. The Silver Moon Café, established in 1984, sourced its menu items from women producers.
The bookshop expanded its offerings in 1986, adding more space and new sections, including second-hand books and young women's sections. Silver Moon's efforts earned it the Pandora Award in 1989 for promoting the status of women in publishing.
Sources:
Jane Cholmeley, A Bookshop of One's Own, (2024, Harper Collins)
Radical Bookshops Listing, Radical Bookshop History Project (November 2023) [Available online here, accessed 4.7.2025]
Radical Bookselling History Newsletter, Issue 6, ISSN 2752-3977 [https://www.leftontheshelfbooks.co.uk/pdf/Radical-Bookselling-History-Newsletter-Issue-6-May-2023.pdf, accessed 7.7.2025]
Silver Moon Bookshop Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Moon_Bookshop, 7.7.2025]
Anna Larner blog [https://annalarner.com/2016/03/28/silver-moon-bookshop/, accessed 7.7.2025]
The Radical Bookseller, No.31, April/May 1984; No. 45, March/April; No. 46, May/June 1986; No. 58, Feb/March 1988; No. 75, 1991
