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| Owner Les McDonald (r.) celebrating. | |
Bookseller's birthday: Congratulations to the Bookshop Darlinghurst in Sydney, Australia's oldest LGBTQI bookstore, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month. The Star Observer reported that in recent years, the bookshop "has weathered the impacts of Covid, economic and political uncertainty and inclement weather, and for a while its future was precarious. However, its investment in online selling and the support of the community has helped it to weather the storm."
The Bookshop posted on Instagram: "Thank you to our many loyal customers over the years and decades who have helped us to achieve this remarkable milestone. Do drop in and see us and wish us a happy birthday during the month of August."
The seed for the Bookshop Darlinghurst "was planted in the 1970s while founding owner Les McDonald was on a holiday with his then partner in the United States," the Star Observer wrote. "Seeing LGBTQI books advertised in the gay press, McDonald saw an untapped market in Australia. On his return to Sydney, he started importing LGBTQI books and selling them via mail order. Soon the business was getting too large to operate out of home so they set up a bookshop on Crown Street in Surry Hills and then to their current location on Oxford Street."
Clover Moore, Sydney's Lord Mayor, said, "The Bookshop served as a hub of information and support through the AIDS crisis and has remained a constant since, despite the advent of e-books and the devastating impact of the pandemic--longevity that is testament to the community's regard for Les MacDonald and his place. My sincere congratulations on this milestone achievement and best wishes for many years to come."
Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich shared what the Bookshop has meant to him and to LGBTQI communities, noting that "as a young gay man growing up in Sydney, the Bookshop was important to me.... It has been a safe space and community hub that to this day fills a void where everyone from young queer people to parents of gay kids and our allies can find materials that reflect their lives, to learn from and share. I always get gifts for new parents from the Bookshop to make sure their kids have stories that reflect diversity and inclusion."
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| Zoe Gram and Ian Gill's wedding. | |
Booksellers' wedding: Canadian indie Upstart and Crow, Vancouver, B.C., posted on Instagram: "Who are the folks behind Upstart & Crow... and why are we closed this week of a busy summer? To answer, we share this photo of our co-founders Zoe and Ian, who tied the knot this week--in fact, on the very same day that Upstart & Crow opened two years ago. We'll look forward to welcoming you back with aglow as of August 30. We're so grateful to everyone who has become part of our community and extended community through Upstart & Crow--and to all those who share ideas and possibilities with us through books and stories."
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Booksellers' vacation: Luddites Books & Wine in Antwerp, Belgium noted: "If you were ever wondering what holidays look like for book store owners, this is it. After devouring our personal must read lists, we are back in our beloved store as of today. And we are ready to supply you with all the books, wine and chitchat you may have missed these last two weeks. See you soon!"
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Bookseller's window art: "The full reveal!" Booka Bookshop in Oswestry, England, noted in sharing a photo of its new front window art: "If you were in town today you may have seen this fabulous window being created by @ourtinywindows to celebrate the publication of Essex Dogs, the forthcoming novel from historian @d_a_n_jones. Big thanks to Ash and Holly and publisher @headofzeus--we're thrilled with it! Come and take a look and see it for yourself! Looking forward to our event with Dan Jones for Essex Dogs." --Robert Gray