Call & Response Books is a Black woman-owned independent bookstore located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood, founded by Courtney Bledsoe . The store's name draws from Black diasporic traditions of music and storytelling where listeners and artists engage in conversation—a concept Bledsoe chose to honor that culture and reflect the bookstore's communal focus . The space is designed to be more than just a retail shop; it is an intentional gathering place where people connect through storytelling .

After securing her storefront in February 2024, Bledsoe launched a GoFundMe campaign that surpassed its $5,000 goal within two months to support startup costs . Prior to opening the physical location, she built community momentum by hosting pop-up events across Chicago, including a wildly successful "Grown-Up Book Fair" at First Sip Cafe in Uptown that drew over 100 customers and generated more than $3,000 in sales in a single evening . The store celebrated its grand opening on May 4, 2024 .

Call & Response Books specializes in stocking books by authors of color and celebrates the stories they tell—a mission rooted in Bledsoe's own childhood experience of rarely finding stories by or about people who looked like her . The store is committed to serving readers of all ages and all levels of literary experience, from those just discovering reading to veteran book lovers seeking something new . Local author events are central to the store's programming, with writers including Arionne Nettles ("We are the Culture: Black Chicago's Influence on Everything") and Chasity Cooper ("Wine Convo Generator") among those scheduled for events .