The Best Queer-Owned Bookshops in the United States
Every year, June is celebrated as pride month. Pride month reminds us to support and continue the struggle for LGBTQ rights, uplift their voices, recognize their agency, and celebrate their culture. Books are the most authentic source to learn about the history, struggles, rights, and demands of the LGBTQ community. What better way to celebrate Pride month than showing love and support to awesome queer-owned bookshops?
We have compiled a list of some amazing queer-owned and affirming bookstores across the United States. Visit these bookstores to gain first-hand knowledge about the queer community.
A Room of One's Own - Madison Wisconsin
A Room of One’s Own is a literary hub offering a wide selection of queer fiction, non-fiction, romantic, and picture books. The bookstore is named after Virginia Woolf’s 1929 essays. It was founded in 1975 as a feminist bookstore. It is now owned by Gretchen and Wes. A Room of One's Own serves as a mouthpiece for the queer community. It features the work of multiple queer and trans writers.
This bookstore is quite popular among the trans community. Many queer folks visit this bookstore to find authentic literature representing their community. A Room of One’s offers yearly and bi-yearly book subscriptions.
Despite the changing times, the queer community is often marginalized. To combat homophobia and show struggling individuals love and support, A Room of One’s Own prepares curated care packages for booklovers and trans youth. These packages include interesting books and other cool items, such as customized keychains, pins, stickers, etc.
Hello Again Books - Cocoa, Florida
Hello Again Books is a women-owned, LGBTQ+ owned bookstore located in the historic Cocoa Village, Florida. The bookstore offers both new and used books at reasonable rates. It is owned by a married lesbian couple who believes that by reusing books, we give them a new life and save them from being dumped into landfills. Hello Again Books sells second-hand hard-cover, paperback, and mass-market books that are in relatively good condition.
Hello Again Books was established on three core principles, i.e., community, diversity, and creativity. It is a safe and inclusive space for everyone, especially the queer community. Along with handing out books, they also offer a variety of literary gift items. Each month, Hello Again Books arranges different literary events where they invite local authors. Book clubs are also arranged during the last week of the month. Friday evenings are for socializing, where all members of the community are invited to relax, enjoy, play, and have a good time.
Womencrafts - Provincetown, Massachusetts
Womenscrafts is a feminist bookstore and a gift shop that supports, promotes, and displays the work of female authors, artisans, and musicians. Womenscrafts is owned by a lesbian couple who envisioned the bookshop to serve as a hub for activism, community and a beacon for queer travelers and community members.
Womenscarfts opened in 1976 during the second wave of feminism. Since its establishment, it has worked for the cause of feminism and other marginalized sections of society. It showcases the work of 100 female artists and displays over 1,000 books. A special section is dedicated to lesbian pulp fiction and intersectional feminist literature. In the arts and crafts section, you will find portraits, pins, greeting cards, jewelry, pottery, etc., created by female artists.
Many lesbians first came out of the closet within the premises of Womencrafts. This is a testimony to Womencrafts being a safe, nurturing, affirming, and welcoming space for the trans and queer community.
At Row House Publishing, we do our best to support queer-owned independent businesses and bookstores. We aim to make books more accessible for all echelons of society. Our mission is to provide an equitable and transparent platform to publish books in the spaces of wellness, community, health, psychology, memoir, politics, spirituality, children's literature, parenting, business, LGBTQIA+, and other genres.