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Nice to see some main stay and things of the past continue on. While in Philly this weekend, I can never pass on a chance and never will miss a trip into Giovanni's Room. Founded in 1973, the bookshop is named of course after James Baldwin's gay novel of the same name. During it's initial establishment, the shop included works of all gay and lesbian authors, and works by James Baldwin, Gertrude Stein and Wila Cather and many others...and still does, but is has now more than 30,00 titles dedicated towards not only gay men and women, but also feminist, transgender and bisexual topics, biographies, nonfiction tell all's, safe sex books and a section of "artistic" skin books and magazines for men and women and even a decent music selection of cd's and vinyl's. There's even a 99 cent section!!! For years now its been on the Historical and Museum Commission registersry as a historic location when the bookshop, was the first LGBT bookstore in the country, and now the final one still operating. The place has always been a mainstay, and haven for the community to come, hang, gather with others and search out help , services and reading interests just for us. When the last owner, Ed retired after 48 years, the community worried, I recall posting way back then with worry what would happen to the place... but thankfully the Philly Aids Thrift took over. And it is glorious to see how well the place is doing. I love taking people there...just ask Sixpence! The girl I talked to said they are busier than ever, and she has seen a huge uptick in people wanting their money to stay IN THE COMMUNITY and not to big box and online presence. I couldn't agree more. I only get books through them, and if they don't have it, they can get it. The place was jumping on Saturday.
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Who can resist a bookshop? When I was a kid we spent a lot of time in second hand bookshops because my Dad needed to check up on just about every book on the shelves. As he wrote 13 books himself (at least one of which was on university course reading lists) I am sure he contributed to bookshop sales. Sadly Dad's books were on politics; I would much have preferred Willa Cather.
ReplyDeleteSecond hand bookshops are the best!
DeleteOh, that place would be a MUST SEE stop for me. You know I love me a good book.
ReplyDeleteOur LGBTQ bookstore is quite tiny, but they do well with what they have.
You would love this place Pat! They had several Streisand titles in the records! So glad they are doing well.
DeleteYou know this place is a big deal when it has its own Wikipedia entry.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a very special place, and has welcomed and helped many who were just coming out and had nowhere to go. It was always a safe place for people to browse our community materials with no fear.
DeleteGood to know it's still thriving!
ReplyDeleteAnd there was a ton of gals that that day I went!
DeleteGiovanni’s Room, très éclectique et historique, comme l’ancienne librarie gay Oscar Wilde à New York.
ReplyDeleteJ’y vais quand je visite Philadelphie.
Il semble que les libraries indépendantes parviennent à maintenir leurs actvités, en dépit des temps difficiles.
À Paris on a les fameux Les Mots a la Bouche, et à Montréal, ils ont L’Euguélionne et Priape, fondes en 1974.
-Beau Mec à Deauville
C'est merveilleux que vous ayez visité la chambre de Giovanni. C'est un petit endroit rempli de titres. Un jour triste en 2009 lorsque le magasin Oscar Wilde a fermé. Cela semble si lointain maintenant. Greenwich Village a un peu pâli ce jour-là.
DeleteYes, yes, YES!
ReplyDeleteI still have the T-shirt, the tote bag and the book I bought there with you.
So glad that the place is thriving!
I wish we would have more of these bookstores around. Yeah, now we can find ‘LGBTQ’ books in many places, but I LIKE queer bookstores that are safe spaces.
XOXO
Not to mention all that money is staying in our very own community. If I recall that was a very good afternoon with you.
DeleteOur own Gay's The Word bookshop in Bloomsbury (as featured in the film Pride) is only a few years younger - it's been proudly flying the flag since 1979! And I love the place... Jx
ReplyDeleteWe both hope these places are with us for some time. I may not be there daily, but I'd miss this place if it ever closed. Part of my gay youth.
DeleteThis is so uplifting. Not at all common these days for these treasures to survive. It looks like they‘re thriving.
ReplyDeleteI love a good bookstore, and not one of those old chain booksellers.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that this place has thrived. So few survive these days and we do need to Support those that do.
ReplyDeleteTo my knowledge Dawn...one of the last. I net the young Prince would love the place.
DeleteIf I'm ever in Philadelphia, I'll go there before I go to Independence Hall.
ReplyDeleteYes!!!!! Both great places to see!
DeleteHow marvelous! I feel fortunate that when I came out in the 1980's, there were still gay bookstores all around Boston. The last one closed up about a decade ago (the owner got rented out when the building went condo). Oh, how I miss those days! So many marvelous titles all OVER the place!
ReplyDeleteAnd guess out Rade? That feeling of those places never leaves. I still enjpy them ....its like a haven of LGBTQ.
DeleteI've been there many times. That's where I bought my first gay books. What a wonderous discovery to find gay authors writing gay stories, with gay characters.
ReplyDeleteYes isnt it!!!!! One day I need to start reading your series of books!
DeleteGiovanni's Room...a institution really and a public service!
ReplyDelete