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For queer people, LGBT-owned bookstores function as more than just a space to buy books, they’re informal meeting places, resources hubs, and safe spaces. This is especially true in rural or politically conservative areas where being gay, trans, or non-gender conforming comes with a risk.
I’m lucky enough to have found solace and companionship in the haven of a queer bookshop: Still North Books & Bar in Hanover, New Hampshire. This woman-owned, queer-powered bookstore-café simultaneously functioned as my day job, community gathering hub, and artistic outlet when I needed those things most. Having a workplace where I knew sharing my pronouns and freely embracing my gender presentation would be safe was so valuable to me, and I made lifelong friends there. Queer-owned bookstores around the country offer a similar solace to their staff and patrons every day. The twelve businesses on this list represent just some of the fabulous queer-owned bookstores that are working hard to protect free speech and provide a refuge for LGBT patrons.
Bookends in Florence, Massachusetts
Tucked into the beautiful Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, this lesbian bookstore is strongly committed to sapphic authors, leftist action, and community care networks. Bookends boasts plentiful author events, a convenient “Lesbian A-Z” bookshelf, and seriously irresistible merchandise printed with store slogans.
Left Bank Books in St. Louis, Missouri
This historical institution holds the title of the oldest and largest independent bookstore in St. Louis and has been proudly queer-owned since its founding in 1969. Left Bank offers a vast selection of themed book clubs to connect queer Missourans, including Gay Men’s Reading Group, Well-Read Black Girls, and Read the Resistance. The store also operates a 501c arm, The Left Bank Books Foundation, to promote literacy in the city and beyond. Browsers can expect to find a thoughtfully curated selection of diverse, justice-focused titles– and might even get to pet Orleans, the resident bookstore cat.
The Ripped Bodice in Los Angeles, California and Brooklyn, New York
The Ripped Bodice, the United States’ first dedicated romance bookstore, has been the subject of much buzz lately as romance novels gain a powerful foothold in the cultural conversation. The proudly woman- and queer-owned business has been thriving so much that it opened a second location in 2023, now supplying both coasts with love stories of all kinds. The Ripped Bodice also has adorable original merchandise that embraces pink and girly aesthetics.
Firestorm Books in Asheville, North Carolina
This self-proclaimed “anarchist community bookstore” has embraced a radical ethos and structure since its founding in 2008 as a queer feminist worker-owned collective. Their team strives to promote uniquely offbeat, local, and indie authors. In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation in the western North Carolina area, Firestorm has contributed heavily to mutual aid disaster relief efforts, particularly by running a distribution hub for essential supplies. The store currently remains open in a limited capacity as the community recovers.
Loudmouth Books in Indianapolis, Indiana
In keeping with the tradition of authors owning indie bookstores, Loudmouth was founded in 2023 by Leah Johnson, the Stonewall Honor Book-winning author of You Should See Me in a Crown. As its name suggests, Loudmouth aims to defend free speech and combat book bans targeted at BIPOC and queer authors. The growing schedule of community events includes a romance novel book club, a monthly Sapphic Social, and frequent book signings with local Indiana authors.
The Nonbinarian Bookstore & Book Bike in Brooklyn, New York
The Nonbinarian Book Bike, a mutual aid initiative founded in 2022, aspires to provide equitable access to queer stories for readers of all ages throughout Brooklyn. The newly opened brick-and-mortar storefront sells both new and used books written exclusively by queer authors, as well as providing free community resources. This trans-owned, volunteer-supported effort highlights the power of community-led initiatives to create unique queer sanctuaries.
Bookwoman in Austin, Texas
A pillar of the Austin literary scene, Bookwoman was founded to increase access to queer and feminist literature in Texas nearly fifty years ago. The store’s mission has expanded to emphasize justice for all marginalized groups, featuring shelves full of intersectional titles and an entire section dedicated to disability activism. The busy event calendar boasts book groups, monthly open mics, and events with touring authors—all hosted with Covid-conscious procedures.
Bishop & Wilde in Portland, Oregon
The ground floor of indie publisher Tin House harbors this magical little bookstore, painstakingly curated by queer writer Melissa L. Amstutz. Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction are for sale alongside vinyl records, plants, and knickknacks, with a focus on both hidden gems and buzzy current titles. Their gorgeous upstairs space hosts regular book clubs and readings with Tin House authors.
Common Ground Books in Tallahassee, Florida
As the only LGBT bookstore in North Florida, Common Ground fills a myriad of community needs. They stock banned, feminist, and queer books with a special focus on local authors. They host events like book clubs, clothing swaps, and movie nights to create a safe haven for local LGBT individuals. Last year, Common Ground even created a free, donation-based Gender Affirming Closet where anyone can access clothing, accessories, and toiletries. They act as a beacon of hope and a cherished space in an increasingly polarized state.
A Room of One’s Own in Madison, Wisconsin
Taking its name and its ethos from Virginia Woolf, this queer and trans-owned independent bookstore makes activism a priority. The store supports the nonprofit effort Wisconsin Books to Prisoners, fundraising to increase literature access in prisons, fighting censorship, and embodying an abolitionist spirit. A Room of One’s Own also makes time to center local LGBT creatives with its monthly queer & trans open mic. The owners are even opening a new space next door—the Reading Room—as a cozy spot for events and casual gatherings alike.
Unabridged Bookstore in Chicago, Illinois
Unabridged is a Chicago institution that has provided browsers with both queer literature and a safe community gathering place for over forty years. Owned by a team of true book lovers, the store emphasizes its personal recommendations, knowledgeable staff, and wide selection of fiction and poetry by LGBT authors.
Dog Eared Books in Valencia, California
This haven for bookworms stocks new and used books in just about every genre imaginable on its floor-to-ceiling shelves, as well as zines and journals. Eclectic paintings by local artists adorn the store, and many of them are for sale. The friendly booksellers are great at recommending their favorite queer books in hyper-specific genre niches.
All She Wrote Books in Somerville, Massachusetts
Originating five years ago as a traveling pop-up bookshop, All She Wrote now has a sunny new brick-and-mortar space of its own in Somerville. The cozy bookstore bills itself as proudly queer, feminist, and intersectional, and it even hosts joint book clubs with Boston’s newly opened Dani’s Queer Bar. Customers love All She Wrote for its friendly staff, diverse book selection, and excellent personalized book recommendations.
