Indiebound.org profiles Queer Haven Books, Columbia, S.C., and its owner, Baker Rogers, a sociology professor who founded the store as a popup in 2023 and opened a bricks-and-mortar location last year. "I'm passionate about education and community building, so [a bookstore] seemed like a perfect blend," they explained.
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| Baker Rogers | |
The store is a designated safe space, and it has an expansive, timely definition of the term. Queer Haven's website states: "We define queer broadly to include all genders and sexualities that go against established norms, but also politically, as push back against all -phobias and -isms (homophobia, transphobia, heterosexism, racism, ableism, ageism, sexism, etc.), discrimination, and violence in our society."
Rogers added: "We want Queer Haven Books to be a space for the whole family and the whole community. Our staff is all queer, friendly, and knowledgeable about queer literature. We love to help people find the right book for them. From fantasy to non-fiction, there is something for everyone, queer or not. We also host a variety of events--readings and signings, queer comedy nights, live music, drag story hour and kids' craft time."