Gay bookstore dc

Original Lambda Rising Location

Our editors handpick the products that we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page. In honor of Pride Month, we're revisiting this story that was originally published inalong with an updated directory of queer-owned bookstores by state. Visibility allows people with marginalized identities to see themselves and their stories reflected in and worthy of art.

A Seat at the Table also opened in A Seat at the Table and hello again books are just a few of many LGBTQ-owned stores we spoke to for this article that have sprung up in recent years. But queer-owned bookstores have been around for decades. Charis Books and Morein Decatur, Georgia, was launched a bookstore later.

These stores are more than shops to browse for books; they are hubs for both entertainment and enlightenment, meeting grounds for hearts and minds. They are, above all, vital community spaces. We'll continue to add to this list, and if there are any that we missed, please make sure to let us know in the comments below!

From New York to San Francisco, from Montgomery, Alabama to Verona, Wisconsin, we hope you'll find an indie bookstore near you to support—during Pride month and beyond. The beauty of specializing in romance is that TRB's shelves can fit a broad range of this incredibly diverse genre, including books from indie presses where marginalized romance stories thrive.

Unabridged Bookstore has been a Chicago institution for more than forty years. Owners Ed Devereaux and Patrick Garnett have assembled an incredible team of booksellers and kept the store focused on the one thing a bookstore should put front and center: books. Booksellers who gay book loversand who proudly look you in the eye and smile.

Story after story that celebrates diversity and living open and authentic lives. And it no less feels like home. Hannah Oliver Depp is not only a fabulous bookseller, but she is also one of the best people I have ever met. Everyone who works there is so smart and talented! The times that I've been able to hang out there in person have been some of gay nicest times of my life.

Their staff is supremely knowledgeable, the book selection is next level and extremely gay, and they work so tirelessly to bring their community together. I drink coffee out of my Loyalty Bookstore coffee mug every morning! Whether checking out their latest staff picks or looking through their amazing author events, I always know that the folks at Loyalty are putting queer and BIPOC books front and center, which has allowed them to build an amazing community both on and offline.

I can't wait to drop by the next time I'm in DC! The store also hosts a lively series of early evening events, either online or in-person, that make for pleasing relief after a hot day at the beach or walking up and down Commercial Street. The store is a small oasis of queer joy and acceptance. I purchased some books, bought a pink Violet Valley T-shirt, and had my picture taken in front of the rainbow flag that hangs beside the cash register.