Very common. Queer bookstores often had coffee shops in them and would serve something basic like sandwhiches. If you weren’t a club goer and didn’t want to join a choir or sport steam, that’s often where you would meet other queer people before everyone had the internet in their pocket. They would host speakers/seminars, networking events, board game nights, an acoustic act or two, the fact that they sold books was often secondary.
I think a lot of “Pride Centres” started as bookstores.
Potentially libraries could fill that spot (even though they aren’t places of business that 3rd places usually are. And even though a lot of libraries still have a long way to go before they can really be called friendly/save spaces by minorities).
Very common. Queer bookstores often had coffee shops in them and would serve something basic like sandwhiches. If you weren’t a club goer and didn’t want to join a choir or sport steam, that’s often where you would meet other queer people before everyone had the internet in their pocket. They would host speakers/seminars, networking events, board game nights, an acoustic act or two, the fact that they sold books was often secondary.
I think a lot of “Pride Centres” started as bookstores.
I wish we still had this sort of thing in general (a non-corporate 3rd place that holds events).
Potentially libraries could fill that spot (even though they aren’t places of business that 3rd places usually are. And even though a lot of libraries still have a long way to go before they can really be called friendly/save spaces by minorities).
Also just common with many bookstores generally. There are a lot of bookstores open at night. It’s a weird take.
I wasn’t aware of this, though there aren’t many small bookstores around here
Ok was unaware of that cultural phenomenon