Chicago Review Press
Chicago Review Press is an independent, privately held book publisher founded in 1973 in Chicago, publishing roughly 50 new titles per year across ten imprints spanning general nonfiction, LGBTQ+ fiction, and children's educational titles, and distributing via Independent Publishers Group plus direct e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Chicago Review Press does
Chicago Review Press is an independent, privately held book publisher founded in 1973 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It operates a multi-imprint portfolio spanning general nonfiction (Chicago Review Press), Black-interest titles (Lawrence Hill Books), Indigenous voices and spirituality (Council Oak Books), parenting (Parenting Press), fiction from women writers (Amberjack Publishing), LGBTQ+ fiction for adults and YA (Interlude Press and Duet Books), backlist fiction and nonfiction (Academy Chicago Publishers), children's picture books (Ripple Grove Press), and the Fulcrum backlist acquired in 2021. The company publishes approximately 50 new titles per year and has a catalog of more than 1,000 titles in print, distributed across trade paperback, cloth/hardcover, and digital formats (PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket).
Chicago Review Press firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chicago Review Press
- Legal name
- Chicago Review Press
- Website
- https://chicagoreviewpress.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Chicago Review Press is an independent, privately held book publisher founded in 1973 in Chicago, publishing roughly 50 new titles per year across ten imprints spanning general nonfiction, LGBTQ+ fiction, and children's educational titles, and distributing via Independent Publishers Group plus direct e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chicago Review Press industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Other Publishers (51319)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB), Children’s Nonfiction Publishing (MPAJAFAE)
Keywords
Where Chicago Review Press is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chicago Review Press business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Chicago Review Press generates revenue through the sale of physical and digital books across multiple imprints including Chicago Review Press, Lawrence Hill Books, Amberjack Publishing, Council Oak Books, and Parenting Press. Titles are sold in various formats (trade paper, cloth, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket) at price points ranging from approximately $10.99 to $30.00 per title. Distribution is handled through Independent Publishers Group to the book trade, with direct sales through the company website.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Trade Paperback titles |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Cloth/Hardcover titles |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Digital formats (PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Chicago Review Press product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chicago Review Press is an independent book publisher founded in 1973 that publishes general nonfiction titles across multiple imprints, producing approximately 50 new titles yearly while maintaining more than 1,000 titles in print. The company publishes books in trade paperback, cloth/hardcover, and digital formats (PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket) spanning topics such as music, film, history, feminism, LGBTQ+ interest, true crime, children's nonfiction, parenting, and Indigenous and Black voices, and distributes them through Independent Publishers Group (IPG) to the book trade as well as directly through its e-commerce website.
Product overview
Chicago Review Press operates as a dynamic independent publisher with a multi-imprint portfolio structure. The company publishes approximately 50 new titles yearly across five primary imprints: Chicago Review Press (general nonfiction), Lawrence Hill Books (Black voices), Council Oak Books (Indigenous voices), Amberjack Publishing (women writers fiction), and Parenting Press (parenting materials). The portfolio also includes acquired imprints Interlude Press (LGBTQ+ fiction with its Duet Books YA sub-imprint), Academy Chicago Publishers (backlist fiction/nonfiction), and Fulcrum (90 titles spanning diverse nonfiction subjects). The company distributes all titles through Independent Publishers Group and publishes the award-winning For Kids educational series as well as the Rediscovered Classics series bringing out-of-print fiction back to market.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Chicago Review Press: Quality nonfiction on a wide range of topics including music, film, pop culture, history, feminism, LGBTQ+ interest, true crime, and outdoor and nature.
- Lawrence Hill Books
- Amberjack Publishing
- Interlude Press
- Duet Books
- Council Oak Books
- Parenting Press
- Ripple Grove Press
- Fulcrum
Products and services
- Chicago Review Press (Main Imprint)
Companies that use Chicago Review Press
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chicago Review Press technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Chicago Review Press partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Interlude PresscoreChicago Review Press acquired the assets of Novelstream LLC, the parent company of Interlude Press, incorporating Interlude as an imprint focusing on LGBTQ+ fiction for adults and young adults. The acquisition includes backlist titles and upcoming releases, expanding CRP's publishing portfolio and maintaining Interlude's commitment to diverse voices.
- Independent Publishers Group (IPG)coreAll Chicago Review Press titles are distributed to the book trade by Independent Publishers Group (IPG), a major book distributor serving the book trade. IPG handles distribution to bookstores, online retailers, and libraries.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chicago Review Press competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Quirk Books: Independent publisher focused on pop culture, quirky nonfiction, and genre-bending titles. Closely aligned with CRP's music/film/true crime/pop culture nonfiction editorial direction and mid-list scale.
- Graywolf Press: Independent nonprofit literary publisher known for poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Comparable in scale and editorial focus on diverse, lasting nonfiction voices — particularly aligned with CRP's commitment to underrepresented authors.
- Workman Publishing: Independent midsize trade publisher known for nonfiction, gift, and children's titles across multiple imprints. Comparable to CRP in scale, multi-imprint structure, and focus on practical/quirky nonfiction for mainstream audiences.
- Melville House: Independent literary publisher with a strong list in politics, fiction, and nonfiction. Comparable in independent spirit, mid-size scale, and editorial positioning around cultural/political nonfiction.
- Algonquin Books: Independent literary publisher focused on fiction and narrative nonfiction with a strong author-driven list. Comparable to CRP's Lawrence Hill and Amberjack imprints in editorial approach and scale.
- Chronicle Books: San Francisco-based independent publisher with a broad catalog of illustrated nonfiction, children's books, and gift titles. Closely comparable to CRP as an established independent with strong distribution and a curated, design-forward list.
- Grove Atlantic: Independent trade publisher combining literary fiction and serious nonfiction. Similar in scale and editorial ambition to CRP's flagship imprint, with comparable distribution patterns through independent channels.
- Counterpoint Press: Independent literary publisher of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry with a curated editorial sensibility. Comparable to CRP in operating scale, multi-imprint strategy, and focus on lasting cultural works.
Emerging players
- Akashic Books: Independent publisher with a niche focus on urban noir, crime fiction, and diverse voices. Comparable in scale to a single CRP imprint and overlapping with CRP's true crime and diverse-voices editorial direction.
- Catapult: Independent publisher of literary fiction and nonfiction with strong digital distribution. Comparable to CRP in literary nonfiction focus, though smaller and more digitally native.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Chicago Review Press social profiles
Digital presenceChicago Review Press financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chicago Review Press leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Chicago Review Press subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
Chicago Review Press funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chicago Review Press M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chicago Review Press
What does Chicago Review Press do?
Chicago Review Press is an independent book publisher founded in 1973 that publishes general nonfiction titles across multiple imprints, producing approximately 50 new titles yearly while maintaining more than 1,000 titles in print. The company publishes books in trade paperback, cloth/hardcover, and digital formats (PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket) spanning topics such as music, film, history, feminism, LGBTQ+ interest, true crime, children's nonfiction, parenting, and Indigenous and Black voices, and distributes them through Independent Publishers Group (IPG) to the book trade as well as directly through its e-commerce website.
Is Chicago Review Press a public or private company?
Chicago Review Press is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Chicago Review Press founded?
Chicago Review Press was founded in 1973. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Chicago Review Press based?
Chicago Review Press is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chicago Review Press make money?
One revenue line is on record: book Sales.
Who are Chicago Review Press's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Quirk Books, Graywolf Press, Workman Publishing, Melville House, Algonquin Books, Chronicle Books, Grove Atlantic and Counterpoint Press. Emerging players are Akashic Books and Catapult.
Does Chicago Review Press have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chicago Review Press.
What industry is Chicago Review Press in?
Chicago Review Press's product category is Independent Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAA, General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction), with a secondary code of MPAJAAAB, Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.). Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.