{"id":309978,"date":"2026-04-24T07:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T11:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/electricliterature.com\/?p=309978"},"modified":"2026-04-23T14:34:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T18:34:14","slug":"queer-bookstores-across-america-to-support-this-independent-bookstore-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/electricliterature.com\/queer-bookstores-across-america-to-support-this-independent-bookstore-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Queer Bookstores Across America to Support This Independent Bookstore Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

April 26 is Independent Bookstore Day, and to celebrate, Electric Lit is once again<\/a> sharing a round-up of some of our favorite independent bookstores, including a few that are new to the literary landscape. In a time when it seems as if the very earth is moving beneath our feet, we remember that books and bookstores help to ground us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, we\u2019re highlighting indie bookstores that focus on intersectional LGBTQ+ literature. Save a queer, read a book!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Giovanni’s <\/a>Room <\/a>(Philadelphia, PA)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Giovanni\u2019s Room has the bragging rights to being the oldest LGBTQ+ bookstore in the US. A Philly favorite selling both new and used books, it\u2019s part of the queer family that is Philadelphia AIDS Thrift, a gem whose mission is \u201cto sell lovely, useful, interesting, amusing, and sometimes mysterious stuff.\u201d A federally recognized 501(c)(3), they\u2019ve distributed over $5 million to local organizations committed to the fight against HIV\/AIDS. Don\u2019t miss Philly Queer Book Club, hosted monthly by the charming and stylish self-proclaimed Book Club Kid, Danny Maloney! You\u2019ll read classics like Sula<\/a>, Zami<\/a>, <\/em>and Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl<\/a>, <\/em>as well as hot new titles.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Firestorm Books<\/a> (Asheville, NC)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This queer, radical activist co-op has been a feminist collective and social movement since 2008, and they need your help! Like many small businesses in Asheville, the worker-owned, non-hierarchal, self-managed business was hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Sales are down, costs are up, capitalism is the worst. The bookstore, which provides critical community space and serves as a hub of mutual aid, has been enlisting community support to bridge their gap in revenue and expenses. Even so, they\u2019re continuing to facilitate civic programming like \u201cYour Book Club Has Been Designated a Terrorist Threat,\u201d which disseminates essential knowledge about the landmark Dallas-Fort Worth case after activists were convicted of \u201cmaterial support for terrorism.\u201d Join this beloved indie, become a Firestorm Sustainer today! <\/p>\n\n\n

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Pocket Books<\/a> (Lancaster, PA)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Owned by three best friends (who we all want to be our best friends), Pocket Books is an independent, queer, feminist indie committed to \u201cthe idea that bookstores are places for communities to share knowledge, wisdom, resources, and connections.\u201d If you\u2019re looking for a hot new title (Horror? Sexy? Sexy Horror?), their book recs are fantastic! They curate an \u201cintentional and eclectic\u201d stock of books, including titles by local writers and small presses; their monthly subscription, Pocket Picks, features early career writers and prioritizes women, queer writers, and writers of color. Pocket Books is so popular and beloved, they recently doubled in size and love, opening their second location in Lancaster, PA. They ship nationwide and offer 15% on all pre-orders! <\/p>\n\n\n

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Loyalty Bookstores<\/a> (Washington, DC)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Founded by Hannah Oliver Depp, a Black and Queer bookseller, and now co-owned by Christine Bollow, a Queer, disabled, and biracial Filipina bookseller, Loyalty highlights diverse voices to reflect Washington, DC\u2019s intersectional community. Their motto is, \u201cWe Like Books, We Like You, Welcome.\u201d There are many book clubs to choose from: Meet Cute, which reads across sub-genres within Romancelandia; In the Margins, which focuses on marginalized authors; the Big Ass Book Club for ambitious books; and Agatha Christie & Sherry, which pairs Christie with sherry and tea. Loyalty Bookstores is located in Petworth, DC, in the Pop Up at Walter Reed. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Asbury Book Cooperative<\/a> (Asbury Park, NJ)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Asbury Book Cooperative is a community-run\u00a0501(c)(3) nonprofit\u00a0bookstore, supported and run by members and volunteers who are always delighted to offer their take on a great book. Selling both new and used books (including a pretty solid poetry section for a store of its size), and located downtown in gay Asbury Park, ABC is an excellent stop on your way to the 5th<\/sup> Avenue Beach. Not only are there readings, workshops, and book clubs\u2014such as an excellent Racial & Social Justice Reading Group\u2014but Friday nights at ABC are usually a great time to catch live music!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Inkwood Books<\/a> (Haddonfield, NJ)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Located in walkable downtown Haddonfield, not far from a beloved water ice shop, Inkwood Books serves as a community hub, holding story times, book clubs, and walk-ins. They carry more than 18,000 books, including a dedicated children\u2019s section and independent authors and presses. A lively, charming, and welcoming indie, it\u2019s beloved by locals for being a South Jersey \u201cgem.\u201d Pride Book Club runs monthly on Tuesdays!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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Rainy Day Books<\/a> (Kansas City, KS)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A fan favorite and a highlight at 2024 AWP-Kansas City, Rainy Day Books is one of the oldest independent bookstores in the region. It began in the 1970s as a used bookstore with a unique paperback exchange, enabling customers to trade books for credit. Now, Rainy Day Books is deeply involved in the local community, hosts hundreds of author events each year, and promotes literacy as a cultural hub for readers of Kansas City. They partnered with Lead to Read KC to host the \u201cStory by Story: KC Book Fair,\u201d celebrated queer AWP at Missie B\u2019s, and recently hosted a \u201cPotions & Devotions Tour.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

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Under the Umbrella<\/a> (Salt Lake City, UT)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Under the Umbrella is a proud safe space for queer folks of all ages to congregate: queer authors, queer stories, queer perspectives. “No other bookstore in the area specifically caters to the queer community,” writes owner Katlyn Mahoney. The indie, which includes a caf\u00e9, also features small presses and self-published writers. Under the Umbrella, prioritizes, “the stories of Black queers\u2014especially Black transgender women\u2014Indigenous queers, and other queers of color, disabled queers, fat queers, two-spirit people, intersex people, asexual and aromatic people, incarcerated queer people, queer sex workers, and other identities within the queer community that experience further marginalization, even within the queer community.” They offer HRT support meetings, skill building workshops, pop-up markets for local artisans, and Queer Speed Date events. For their contributions, they received the ACLU Torch of Freedom Award in 2024 and the 2026 University of Utah Pinnacle of Pride Award.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Women & Children First<\/a> (Chicago, IL)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Women & Children First celebrates over 45 years of inclusive feminist bookselling in Chicago. They carry\u00a020,000 books that center marginalized voices, facilitating programming and in-kind donations to offer safe, inclusive spaces for the Windy City. They have ongoing partnerships with Chicago Books to Women in Prison, Liberation Library, and Chicago Abortion Fund. Favorite community events include Weekly Morning Storytime, Banned Books Book Club, and a regular array of visiting author events. They\u2019ve even hosted Hot Potato Hearts, a speed dating event that pairs people randomly (some would say \u201cadventurously\u201d) regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Find your personalized reading list for talking to teens, abolishing ICE, or freeing Palestine.<\/p>\n\n\n

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BookWoman<\/a> (Austin, TX) <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This historic institution is one of the oldest feminist bookstores in the United States. BookWoman was founded in 1975 and is celebrating 50 years of continued community outreach. Originally launched as a women\u2019s collective (The Common Woman Bookstore), it focuses on feminist and LGBTQ+ literature with an emphasis on intersectionality. There are regularly scheduled readings, open mics, poetry evenings, and speakers. BookWoman creates a community space for learning, discussion, and activism. In 2026, this indie is often described as a safe haven and sanctuary bookstore in a red state.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Nonbinarian Bookstore<\/a> (Brooklyn, NY)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Nonbinarian hot pink book bike can often be spotted throughout Brookly, distributing free books to readers in \u201cbook deserts\u201d throughout the city. Part of the post-2020 explosion of queer indie bookstores in NYC, The Nonbinarian centers trans, enby, and queer voices with a focus on visibility and community-building. Established in 2022 as a mobile mutual-aid initiative, it has evolved into a queer social hub and community space in Crown Heights. The Nonbinarian is a trans, disabled, Asian-owned collective that is volunteer powered,\u00a0exclusively\u00a0queer, and carries new, used, and free books, as well as gifts, and resources. Upcoming events include: Quiet Queers (Silent!) Reading Hour, a T4T Clothing Swap, and bike pop-ups at the Brooklyn Public Library.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Always Here Bookstore<\/a> (Portland, OR) <\/h4>\n\n\n