The end of an era

Lambda Rising, a giant amongst indie bookstores serving the GLBT community, has announced they are closing both of their remaining stores. Deacon Maccubbin, Lambda Rising's founder and co-owner, reported that it was 'virtually impossible' to find GLBT-friendly literature back in 1974 when they first opened. “We thought if we could show that there was a demand for our literature, that bookstores could be profitable selling it, we could encourage the writing and publishing of glbt books, and sooner or later other bookstores would put those books on their own shelves and there would no be less need for a specifically gay and lesbian bookstore.”

“Today 35 years later, nearly every general bookstore carries glbt books, often featuring them in special sections,” Maccubbin noted.

Lambda Rising was also a model for how a bookstore could be a resource in education and the fight against discrimination. I applaud your accomplishments and your example - this was how an Indie Bookstore SHOULD do it.

Rock on,

Lauretta