Part publication shop, part cultural waypoint, Chess Club offer a thoughtful selection of global magazines and design books alongside artist books, zines, and small press titles. A playground assembly of visual cultures. The space is considered but never rigid, shaped by publications selected equally for their point of view and visual presence. It is the kind of place where you come across a title you did not know you were looking for, then leave with a new thread to follow.
Chess Club is based in Portland, where Andrew Simon and Christy Lai first introduced the project through a series of pop ups before opening their permanent space. The shop reflects an ongoing focus on independent publishing, with titles sourced from a range of artists, designers, and small presses across the world. The selection shifts often, with new arrivals moving in alongside harder to find publications, creating a space that rewards returning and is designed to be explored organically.
From March 27 to 29, Chess Club will be at Glasswing for a weekend residency in Seattle. We will host a curated installation of their current collection, extending this same sense of discovery from Portland into our space. Join us Friday evening for the opening party, or stop by throughout the weekend to explore. View full event details here.
“In a moment where so much is endlessly refreshed, print has a beginning and an end. We say that reading a print magazine is like entering someone else’s home for an hour: you can be glad you don’t live there, and glad you visited. Then return in a few months, or a year, and see what’s new.” -CC
