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In Other Words bookstore on Northeast Killingsworth Street has been a women's community center and home to feminist literature since its founding in 1993.
But to many across the country and even here in Portland, it's best known as the bookstore Women and Women First from IFC's Portlandia. For six seasons of the show, In Other Words has allowed Portlandia to film the saga of feminist bookstore owners Toni and Candace, played by Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen.
Well, that relationship has apparently soured.
In Other Words bookstore currently has a sign on its door reading, "Fuck Portlandia! Transmisogyny – Racism – Gentrification – Queer Antagonism – Devaluation of Feminist Discourse."
Photographs on Instagram show that the "Fuck Portlandia" sign has been up as far back as this spring—while Season 6 was airing.
The characters of Toni and Candace played a much smaller role during Season 6 than in the five previous seasons, not appearing until episode 8—"First Feminist City"—in which Toni and Candace declare war on for-profit feminism.
We reached out to In Other Words to ask the reasons behind the "Fuck Portlandia" sign.
A representative from the store who identified themselves as Mickey Karnage wrote that In Other Words would likely be willing to answer questions. In multiple e-mails, Karnage then repeatedly asked that WW post a link to an online fundraiser by the bookstore. The bookstore also raised $14,000 in a previous online fundraiser in 2014.
WW sent questions via e-mail—including what specific content had spurred the store to put up the sign after a six-year association with the show. WW declined as a matter of policy to promise a link to the store's fundraising platform in exchange for an interview.
Karnage then sent the following message:
"After some consideration and research we've decided to officially tell the Willamette Weekly to go fuck themselves. Your paper has absolutely zero journalistic professionalism and you are scummy rape apologists. Thanks for the opportunity tho! Have a great night."
UPDATE Sept. 28: In Other Words has since posted an explanation on its website.
Anyway, Portlandia season 7 began filming in August and will air sometime in 2017—but will probably not include footage at In Other Words.
Here's some more Toni and Candace.
Willamette Week