Revolution Books to close after 33 years

Revolution Books will close permanently on Oct. 23. [Photo credit: Andrea C. Turner.]

Revolution Books, located on Mayfield Road near Coventry Road, will close on Oct. 23. According to the people who work there, the closing of the store—owned by the Revolutionary Communist Party—has nothing to do with poor sales or other problems.

Instead, they said, they want to spend more time spreading the word about a Communist revolution to the people of Cleveland.

Lee Thompson, one of the store’s workers, said, “We cannot do all of that and maintain the store.”

Revolution Books has been in Cleveland Heights for 33 years. The store, an Ohio-based corporation, had no single specific owner and did not make a profit. All of its workers are volunteers.

The people at the store said they want to spread the word about two new statements released by the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Communist Party: “How We Can Win—How We Can Really Make Revolution,” and “Time to Get Organized for an Actual Revolution.” In addition, they want to get the word out about a new book by Communist Party leader Bob Avakian, The New Communism.

They also want to bring attention to the charges against Gregory “Joey” Johnson, who was arrested after burning a U.S. flag at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland earlier this year. According to a statement released by Revolution Books, “We are going to meet the counter-revolutionary assaults on the RNC 16 with more revolution, in the political arena and in the legal arena.”

James Henke

James Henke, a Cleveland Heights resident, was a writer and editor at Rolling Stone magazine for 15 years. He is also the author of several books, including biographies of Jim Morrison, John Lennon and Bob Marley. He is on the board of FutureHeights, and is co-chair of the Heights Observer Advisory Committee.

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Volume 9, Issue 11, Posted 11:24 AM, 10.18.2016