Queer Pop-Up Book Shop Series Begins This Weekend

Philly AIDS Thrift re-opened the doors to Giovanni’s Room last Friday, debuting a new space that, much like its store in Queen Village, will sell secondhand goods—everything from records and clothing to jewelry. We’re thrilled that the storied bookstore is alive and well again, but we can’t help but mourn the lack of queer reads. As we reporter earlier this week, there is a shelf full of children’s books and some miscellaneous works in the store, but not a ton of the LGBT persuasion.

To help fill that gap, Queer Books, LLC, an organization formed by the ladies who were in the running to take over Giovanni’s Room, is launching a series of pop-up shops “dedicated to providing literature for Philly’s queer audience.” The four scheduled pop-up shops will be “temporary, portable book and gift-selling stores” opened in conjunction with different events throughout Philadelphia.

The first one beings this weekend, when Queer Books hosts an event at the Philadelphia Park(ing) Day festivities in South Philly. “Drink.Read.Love Park” will feature a reading area where guests can borrow books and read of free from noon to 7 p.m.

The rest of the schedule, taking place on various dates from September 25th to October 10th, is below:

September 25th, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Queer Books will set up a Pop-Up Shop to coincide with the PhilaMOCA‘s Born to Fly: Elizabeth Streb vs. Gravity screening.  The Pop-Up Shop will feature DVDs and books related to queer performance art. More information can be found here.

October 4th and 5th, 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Queer Books Pop-Up Shop returns to the Rotunda for this year’s Gender Reel Fest. The Pop-Up Shop will feature DVDs and books related to queer cinema and art.

October 10th, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Queer Books will co-sponsor the release party for Rachelle Lee Smith’s photographic essay book, Speaking OUT: Queer Youth in Focus at William Way.