Red Emma's was re-created from a previous infoshop named Black Planet Books formerly located on the Fells Point Broadway, then 1621 Fleet Street. Through June 2013, the store operated from 800 St. Paul Street in Mount Vernon. It reopened in the Fall of 2013 in a much larger space at 30 W. North Avenue, in the Station North neighborhood, in Baltimore. In Fall of 2018, Red Emma's moved back to Mount Vernon to 1225 Cathedral Street, to a space featuring two floors, an expanded bookstore, and a bar.
Collective ownership
Since before the official opening in 2004, all decisions regarding the operations of the space have been made by consensus. The collective of worker-owners has ranged in size from 10 to 20 over the 7 years the shop has been open, usually hovering around 15. Collective meetings are open to the public. The Red Emma's Collective is a closed shop, organized with the Industrial Workers of the World. That means that all collective members are also members of IU 660—the "One Big Union".
Past events
Past events have included a talk by ex-Weather Underground leader Bernardine Dohrn, presentations by the Beehive Collective, and small concerts, including many by members of the Riot Folk Collective, and Charming Hostess. Imprisoned Black Panther Marshall "Eddie" Conway has done call-in readings and talks from jail, and Red Emma's often hosts talks by local activist organizations. The Bookstore is also a venue for touring authors. Red Emma's accolades include "Best Coffeehouse" by the student body of Johns Hopkins University in 2005, and the Baltimore City Paper's Best of Baltimore awards in 2005 for "Best Wireless Hotspot" and in 2006 for "Best Non-Bar Hangout."
2640
In March 2007, Red Emma's joined with St. John's United Methodist to form 2640, "a noncommercial, cooperatively managed space for radical politics and grassroots culture." The organization centers around management of the Charles Village church located at 2640 Saint Paul Street. In addition to Sunday services, the facility is used as a community space.
In September 2009, classes began at 1323 N. Calvert St., in Baltimore, MD, at the Baltimore Free School. The Free School is volunteer run and any person is invited to teach a class or series of classes with no certification required. In 2012, the school was located at 512-516 W. Franklin St., but has since moved into a classroom in the Red Emma's Coffeestore Bookhouse at 30 W. North Ave.
