Giovanni's Room Bookstore to close May 17

[Jeff Wrangler]

This is news but it's also of cultural significance, so I'm posting it here. I read in this morning's newspaper that Giovanni's Room, "the oldest LGBT bookstore in the U.S.," located here in Philadelphia, is closing its doors May 17. The owner had previously announced his retirement, and an agreement to sell the business has fallen through, so he's decided to close up May 17. The store opened in 1973. In 2011 the state of Pennsylvania honored it with a historical marker in front of the building.

I quoted the phrase from the newspaper article because I don't know for sure if the store is the oldest LGBT bookstore, or merely the oldest surviving one--at least until May 17.

This is sad news. 

[southendmd]

Sad news indeed.

Luckily, we still have the Calamus Book Store here in Boston.  Not sure about any others?

[CellarDweller]

that is sad.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I just remembered that I bought my DVD of Brokeback Mountain at Giovanni's Room. I deliberately paid a little more for it there than I might have elsewhere in order to support the store.

[milomorris]

There's a couple things I see going on here...

1. The Internet has made all of the print media operate differently. Its easy to see how people would prefer the convenience of online ordering over actually making a trip to a book store.

2. The more gay culture becomes mainstreamed, the less need there is for gay consumers to have specific places to find goods & services. As with gay bars, gay bookstores are victims of their own success in a way.