I read an article today in Quill & Quire which mentioned that in 1994 there were 125 women's bookstores worldwide, but in 2010 there are only 21.
There could be many reasons for this drop. It's possibly a sign that men and women are more equal now than they were then, that there is not as much call for women's, or feminist, bookstores.
It could also be a further sign that large chain bookstores such as Chapters or Borders have squeezed out independent bookstores.
The huge success of Amazon.com may also have contributed to the decline. As could be the fact that many professors now use online sources and direct their students to them.
It really is hard to know exactly the reason but it is quite a drop in those independent bookstores in less than 20 years.
