NYC’s Best Bookstores for Queer, Sapphic & Gay Reads

New York City has long been one of the biggest gay and lesbian havens in the world—a city where queer culture thrives. Lamentably, while we don’t yet have a bookstore dedicated entirely to LGBTQ+ literature, we are blessed with queer-owned, queer-centered, and queer-prioritized bookstores that come very close. These spaces go far beyond offering shelves of LGBTQ+ books—they are havens that embrace, celebrate, and cultivate the stories and experiences of every identity across the gender spectrum.

Historically, queer books have been sanctuaries for the LGBTQ+ community, providing not only a place to find affirming stories but also a sense of belonging. Today, a lot of these queer spaces in NYC carry on that legacy, curating diverse, gender-expansive literature while hosting vibrant events that bring the community together. From queer book clubs to community workshops, these bookstores are more than just places to buy books—they are cultural and community hubs.

Here are some of NYC’s most queer-friendly bookstores.

Queer-Friendly Bookstores in NYC

Bureau of General Services – Queer Division

A woman holding three books inside a queer bookstore in NYC with pink walls.

A woman wearing a face mask and holding three books inside a NYC queer bookstore with pink walls.

The Bureau of General Services – Queer Division is like stumbling into a cute queer living room tucked inside The Gay Center in the West Village, one of the queerest NYC neighborhoods. It’s an independent, volunteer-run bookstore that offers a cultural playground queer books, from art to the history we rarely see on mainstream shelves. It’s where you can also sip your iced coffee while perusing zines, flipping through magazines, or just soaking up the art pieces on display.

Events here are everything: author readings, book clubs (um, they just launched a lesbian book club, ahh!), lectures, performances, film screenings, exhibitions, workshops—you name it, they’ve got it. They also host the NYC Queer Comic Fair and the New York Queer Zine Fair, where you can mingle with like-minded folks and soak in all the indie queer brilliance.

The best part? The volunteers, led by founders Greg Newton and Donnie Jochum, are genuinely passionate about what they do, helping you navigate this haven of queer literature and art. Can’t make it in person? No worries—there’s an online shop with all the queer goodness, ready to ship right to your door.

Note: Their location is wheelchair-friendly!

Address: Room 210 The LGBT Community Center, 208 W 13th St., Lower Manhattan (10011)
Hours: Wednesdays – Sundays (1PM – 7PM)

Bluestockings Cooperative Bookstore

Shelves and tables of books inside a queer-friendly bookstore in NYC.

The glass door and windows of a NYC queer-friendly bookstore with decorations such as a rainbow illustration.

Walking into Bluestockings Cooperative Bookstore is a trans/SWer-owned, worker-run collective, activist center, and community space. Their shelves are filled with LGBTQIA+ literature and texts on feminism and social justice. Online, they also have an LGBTQIA+ section. In the store, they have dedicated sections for queer fiction. While the independent bookstore is not exclusively queer, there’s plenty to resonate with your soul. They also host a monthly Queer Romance Book Club.

Bluestockings also collaborates with queer organizations such as Close Friends Collective, whose NYC Queer History Walking Tours through the Lower East Side end at the bookstore itself.

Beyond the books, Bluestockings offers events like book launches, queer writer’s workshops, open mics, and even artsy gatherings like lesbian button-making nights.

In true mutual-aid spirit, they provide a free public bathroom, a “free store” for essentials, and resources for harm reduction. With over 25 years of history, Bluestockings stands as an inclusive sanctuary for silenced voices, a place where queers and feminists gather, learn, and feel seen.

Note: Bluestockings features a little shop area, including journals and tarot cards, which are perfect lesbian gifts. And they also have a coffee shop!

Address: 116 Suffolk St., Lower Manhattan (10002)
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday (12PM – 7PM)

Astoria Bookshop

Astoria Bookshop in Queens features all types of books with a distinctively queer-friendly vibe. Owned by a queer woman, this shop has sections for Gender and Sexuality and a huge array of LGBTQIA+ fiction, making it a must-visit for anyone looking to dive into diverse queer narratives.

Astoria Bookshop also nurtures the community with book clubs like The Rolling Library Queer Book Club and the Astoria Feminist Book Club. Their other events range from writing workshops to storytelling sessions, making it a cultural hub. And for a truly memorable lesbian date night, their bookshop-themed evenings are perfect for a romantic yet literary adventure.

Address: 36-19 30th St, Astoria, Queens (11106)
Hours: Daily (11 AM – 7 PM)

The Ripped Bodice

A woman sitting on a chair inside a beautifully decorated NYC queer-friendly bookstore with pages of books on the walls.

A red book with title "All About Love" inside a beautifully decorated NYC bookstore with book pages and rainbow art on the wall.

The Ripped Bodice is Brooklyn’s only bookstore dedicated entirely to romance books, with a standout section (of 3 shelves) for LGBTQ+ romances. Queer woman-owned, it’s decorated with book pages and a signature pink flair, giving Bridgerton vibes. It offers every sub-genre of romance—including contemporary, fantasy, or historical.

The Ripped Bodice also hosts book launches, writing workshops, and book clubs, turning every visit into a chance to connect with fellow romance aficionados.

For those seeking merch, they offer tees, pins, tote bags, and candles to carry the love beyond the page.

Note: Their LGBTQ section is further divided into categories such as queer historical, sapphic romance, and the like.

Address: 218 5th Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn (11215)
Hours: Monday – Friday (11AM – 7PM); Saturday (10 AM – 8PM); Sunday (10AM – 7 PM)

Yu & Me Books

Two people inside a cozy interior of a NYC bookstore with a counter, tables of books, and decorations.

Steps from the Manhattan Bridge in Chinatown, Yu & Me Books is the first woman Asian-American-owned bookstore in NYC and stands proudly as a space that amplifies AAPI, LGBTQIA+, and immigrant/BIPOC narratives. Though not exclusively queer, it radiates inclusivity, offering shelves lined with stories that speak to the nuances of our identities. Some of the best queer titles are here, including a phenomenal selection of QUEER BIPOC books from You Exist Too Much to Hijabi Butch Blues.

Yu & Me hosts book launches, including those by young queer authors, open mics, and book clubs. You can also order beverages and freshly brewed coffee at the cafe. The space has at least 3 different rooms of books across two floors. So you can lose yourself with a novel in their comfortable reading nook.

And if resilience had a physical form, it would look something like this bookstore, rising from the ashes—quite literally—after a fire threatened its existence. Against the odds, Yu & Me reopened with the help of the community, raising $370,000! A symbol of the strength in community.

Address: 44 Mulberry St. (Chinatown), Lower Manhattan (10013)
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday (11AM – 7PM); Thursday – Saturday (11AM – 11PM)

Three Lives & Company

The storefront of a corner bookstore in NYC with black exterior, glass walls, and red doors.

A person in black shirt, denim shorts, white cap, and black shades walking inside a bookstores in NYC with wooden shelves and tables.

A woman holding a book inside a NYC bookstore with wooden shelves.

A book with an illustration of two women and a title "The Pairing".

Three Lives & Company has been a quiet but steady presence in NYC’s queer literary scene for decades. It’s got a carefully curated section of LGBTQIA+ titles, giving queer voices a well-deserved spot on the shelves. The iconic West Village bookstore once shared space with Djuna Books, a short-lived yet historic haven for women’s presses. Even today, Three Lives remains committed to the community, having donated portions of its proceeds to LGBTQIA+ social equity causes.

Address: 154 W 10th St., Lower Manhattan (10014)
Hours: Monday – Saturday (10AM – 7PM); Sunday (12PM – 7PM)

Strand Book Store

And oldie but a goodie, The Strand has 18 miles of books winding through shelves that have stood since 1927. This family-owned icon isn’t just NYC’s largest indie bookstore; it’s a haven for readers of every stripe, including us queer folk.

Because of its sheer size, it might just have the biggest collection of LGBTQIA+ titles and sections on queer and gender studies. They go all out for Pride Month, curating rainbow-filled tables that highlight the voices of our community.

And if you’re in the mood for a little romance, there’s even a Blind Date with a Book section—because who doesn’t love a little mystery with their next read? Plus, with a cozy coffee shop inside, it’s the perfect spot to lose yourself in a book and maybe even in someone else’s gaze across the stacks.

Address (Main Branch): 828 Broadway, 12th St. & Broadway, East Village, Lower Manhattan (10003)
Hours: Monday – Sunday (10 AM – 8 PM)

Books of Wonder

In the heart of Chelsea, Books of Wonder is a children’s bookstore founded by Peter Glassman and his partner James Carey, that has been charming readers since 1980. While it’s not officially a queer bookstore, its shelves offer a solid selection of LGBTQIA+ titles, perfect for those of us who as kids spent years searching for a character who felt like us.

But the real fun happens at their read-aloud events and book launches, like the releases of “I Am a Rainbow“ by Mark Nakemura and “Night of the Living Queers“ by Vanessa Montalban, where queer authors get the spotlight they deserve. And if that’s not enough, there’s an entire Wizard of Oz bookcase (part of queer canon), dedicated to the works of L. Frank Baum and his successors—an inspiration for anyone still chasing their own yellow brick road.

Note: There’s even a gallery of original children’s book art and limited edition prints, with posters and artwork available for sale, perfect for bringing a little extra magic home with you.

Address: 42 W 17th St., Midtown Manhattan (10011)
Hours: Daily (11 AM – 7 PM)

Bonus: Queer Libraries

Lesbian Herstory Archives

Two women wearing face masks and standing side-by-side in front of a bookshelf, one of them holding an LGBTQIA+ flag.

A woman wearing a face mask and black top and red shorts, standing in front of a bookshelf, and holding an LGBTQIA+ flag inside a queer library in NYC.

In Park Slope, Brooklyn, the Lesbian Herstory Archives is a cultural gem for lesbians and queer women. Since the 1970s, it’s been home to the world’s largest collection of materials by and about lesbians, safeguarding our stories in a world that tends to let them slip away. Born from a group of women determined to keep lesbian history alive, it’s more than an archive—it’s a sanctuary where our queer lives, sapphic loves, and lesbian legacies are honored and passed down. From books to zines, and even personal diaries of queer women from decades past, this place is a living, breathing scrapbook of lesbian herstory. And the best part? It’s free to explore—you just have to book your visit. For those who can’t make it in person, many collections have been digitized so you can access them from anywhere.

The Lesbian Herstory Archives also keeps things vibrant with programs like Little Rainbows Storytime, which is perfect for families raising LGBTQIA+ kids. And then there are events like speed dates, butch panel discussions, writing workshops, and even arts and crafts that bring the community together. Plus, if you’re feeling the urge to give back, you can volunteer and be a part of preserving this priceless history.

Address: 484 14th St., Brooklyn (11215)
Hours: By appointment or booking their events

The City College of New York – Queer Library Collection

The Queer Library Collection at City College of New York is a goldmine for LGBTQIA+ literature and research. With a blend of physical and digital resources, it’s packed with LGBTQ+ books, films, and ebooks that dive into queer theory, history, and culture. For academics, the CCNY LGBTQIA+ Research Guide can be your personal roadmap to archives, databases, and journals that focus on all things queer.

Address: 160 Convent Avenue, Upper Manhattan (10031)
Hours: See here.

Queens College Library

The Queer Collection at Queens College Library is the academic heaven every queer book lover dreams of. This isn’t just another library section—it’s a carefully curated collaboration between the Gender, Love, and Sexuality Alliance, the Women and Gender Studies program, and the college’s libraries. With books and materials exploring LGBTQ+ issues in all their depth, it offers a space where our stories are not just cataloged but celebrated. Open to everyone, this collection is like a conversation waiting for you to join.

Address: Benjamin S. Rosenthal Library, Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing, Queens (11367)
Hours: See here.

NYC Queer Guides