Giovanni's Room Bookstore is located on the corner of 12th and Pine Street in Philadelphia's gayborhood. The main building was built in 1820 and the second building which became part of the store several years after the store opened, was built in the 1880s.

Giovanni's Room Bookstore is a gay bookstore in Philadelphia. It is the oldest gay bookstore in America still operating and has been called the 'center of gay Philly'.^[1] Founded in 1973 in Philadelphia, Giovanni's Room Bookstore is named after James Baldwin's gay novel Giovanni's Room. Philly AIDS Thrift took over the store after the owner retired in 2014 and the bookstore is now called Philly AIDS Thrift at Giovanni's Room, also known as PAT @ Giovanni's Room.^[2][3][4]

People also search for. Review and analysis of Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin.More James Baldwin novels and non-fiction: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUMxkOTS9WyEvDcgFv.

Location[edit]

Giovanni's Room Bookstore is located on the corner of 12th and Pine Street in Philadelphia's gayborhood. The main building was built in 1820 and the second building which became part of the store several years after the store opened, was built in the 1880s. The store was originally located on South Street and changed locations often in its first few years. It has been at 345 South 12th Street since 1979.^[5]

History[edit]

In 1973 three Gay Activist Alliance (GAA) members, Tom Wilson Weinberg, Dan Sherbo and Bern Boyle, opened Giovanni's Room at 232 South Street.^[5] The store was closed shortly afterward due to a homophobic landlord. The store changed hands to lesbian activist Pat Hill in 1974 and then to Ed Hermance and Arleen Oshan in 1976.^[5] Hermance and Olshan moved the store first to 1426 Spruce Street and then to its final location on 12th and Pine in 1979.^[1] Olshan left the partnership in 1984.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission unveiled a marker on Sunday, October 15, 2011, to commemorate the location of Giovanni’s Room, as it is the country's first LGBT bookstore still operating.^[6][7]

In April 2014 the store's owner of 38 years, Ed Hermance, announced his retirement plans and closed the store on May 17, 2014.^[8][1] He soon after made an agreement with Philly AIDS Thrift and they reopened the store as its proprietor that fall.

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abcGillespie, Tyler. 'The Last Day at Giovanni's Room, America's Oldest Gay Bookstore'. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 26 June 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
2. ^Connie Wu (July 25, 2014). 'Nation's Oldest LGBT Bookstore Rescued from Closing'. OutTraveler.
3. ^https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/oldest-us-gay-bookstore-reopen-philadelphia-25119146
4. ^'EPGN'. epgn.com. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
5. ^ ^abc'Giovanni's Room records, circa 1975-1991'(PDF). John J. Wilcox, Jr. LGBT Archives. July 19, 2019.
6. ^Schechner, Karen. 'Giovanni's Room Honored With Historical Marker'. American Booksellers Association. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
7. ^'William Penn's Legacy, PHMC 2010-2011 Annual Report'(PDF). Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Archived from the original(PDF) on 30 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
8. ^Thomas, Angela. 'Giovanni's Room to close next month'. Philadelphia Gay News. Retrieved 28 April 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)

External links[edit]

• Official website
• Barned-Smith, St. John (28 July 2009). 'LGBT bookstore in peril: Giovanni's Room needs 50G for renovations'. Philly.com. Retrieved 24 February 2012.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
• Giovanni's Room records at John J. Wilcox, Jr. LGBT Archives, William Way LGBT Community Center

Coordinates: 39°56′43″N75°09′40″W / 39.9452°N 75.1612°W

The Oldest & Very Best LGBTQ & Feminist Bookstore in the Country

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A photographic celebration of the love and relationships of queer people of color by a former New York Times multimedia journalist.

Queer Love in Color features photographs and stories of couples and families across the United States and around the world. This singular, moving collection offers an intimate look at what it means to live at the intersections of queer and POC identities today, and honors an inclusive vision of love, affection, and family across the spectrum of gender, race, and age.

Writing Contest 2021

Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room is proud to announce our second annual writing and cover design contest. You know us as the oldest LGBTQ+ and feminist bookstore in the country, and now you can be part of our fabulous history! We are publishing an anthology of writing, bringing the community together in one book.

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Charlie didn’t think Nick could ever like him back, but now they’re officially boyfriends. Nick has even found the courage to come out to his mom.But coming out isn’t something that happens just once, and Nick and Charlie try to figure out when to tell their friends that they’re dating. Not being out to their classmates gets even harder during a school trip to Paris. As Nick and Charlie’s feelings get more serious, they’ll need each other more than ever.

What Are the Men Writing in the Sugar?

Matty Bennett’s debut collection is a beauty of a book, full of quirky, romantic, thoroughly original poems brimming with Sicilian landscapes, gay life in America, and the complex passions shared by young men.

-Jeff Mann, author of A Romantic Mann and Redneck Bouquet

Introducing Queer Atlas

Welcome to Queer Atlas, a podcast broadcasting out of Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room. Queer Atlas has been created to highlight queer & trans art, activism, and spaces here in the city of Philadelphia. Each episode features an interview from a special guest, conversations about new and old LGBTQ media we are enjoying, as well as a peek at life in our store.