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.
Weird that that bookstore is open at night
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).
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
I went to Borders and Barnes & Noble in the evening. Even in the olden days Walden Books followed mall hours.
We have a bookstore (Waterstones) open until 22:00 near me.