by Andrew Woodrow-Butcher
Despite its rainbow flag and neon sign, the Glad Day Bookshop somehow still feels like a well-kept secret. I lived in Toronto for years before climbing that steep staircase from Yonge Street to one of the best independent bookstores in the city, and even in the most bookish of crowds you’re bound to find one or two poor souls who haven’t yet had the pleasure of a visit. But that’s about to change.
In business since 1970, Glad Day has been in the news more and more lately. Three years ago, the store inherited the title of the world’s oldest queer bookstore, with the closure of the Oscar Wilde Bookshop in Greenwich Village. And a few months ago the announcement that the store was for sale set the internet aflutter. Now, a group of 20 investors has formed to give new life to the literary landmark.
An important part of the new Glad Day is journalist and indie bookstore veteran Scott Dagostino, who’s been given the job of managing the shop during this renaissance. I got in touch with him this week with some questions about his plans for the store.
AWB: Toronto readers are overjoyed to hear about any bookstore – especially a community-engaged bookstore like Glad Day- that is forging ahead rather than closing up shop. What is it about independent bookstores that’s so important to us?
SD: You said it right there: “community-engaged.” I was heartbroken when This Ain’t the Rosedale Library had to leave Church Street, because if you consider the neighbourhood a body politic, that queer street lost its brain. Bookstores are where neighbours run into each other while their minds are full of ideas and dreams. It creates a kind of energy you won’t find in a theatre, a clothing store or even a pub. And Indigo seems more interested in housewares!
What signs are there right now that there’s opportunity for Glad Day to grow as a business in the future?
I see ever-growing links between people and small businesses through social media and beyond. I see shops that were once competitors are now realizing that we’re all in this together against a few very large, very powerful enemies. For Glad Day in particular, it’s managed to survive my generation – one that’s often resisted a gay label as something confining or old-hat – and now sees a new generation that celebrates itself in all its identities. They’re starting to wander into the shop and they love what they see.
There was a time when almost all LGBTQ books were by definition edgy or underground, small press or self-published – but that’s clearly not the case now. With lots of queer content being published by mainstream publishers, has the importance of smaller presses and self-publishing changed for queer readers? Or for queer bookstores?
That’s a tough one to answer, especially as I feel my way back into the queer publishing universe. When I last ordered for Glad Day, mainstream and indie publishers were excitedly making money from gay authors and audiences, so all four of those groups were willing to take risks. Now, even though society is more accepting, the massive amount of media integration actually means less choice, and it’s especially hard out there for a small indie publisher. But if they’re ready to be bold and support queer stories, I’m ready to be bold and support them.
What are your most exciting plans for Glad Day in the short-term?
We’ve already re-jigged the layout to better serve our lovely lesbian customers and we’ve got some really fun ideas for sales in the pipeline. I’m enjoying using my Twitter powers for good and, most excitingly, the owners have hired an amazing Program Manager to do outreach and plan readings and events for our beautiful new upstairs space. I’m hoping she’ll be the Mr. Steed to my Emma Peel and together we’ll return Glad Day to its rightful spot as another great hub of Toronto’s queer community, like Buddies in Bad Times Theatre or The 519 Church Street Community Centre.
What will Glad Day’s place be in the cultural landscape ten years from now?
Ooof, how could I possibly answer that when we’re working out the next ten months? Seeing San Fran’s A Different Light shut its doors last year is truly terrifying, but I wouldn’t have come back to this shop if I wasn’t absolutely convinced of the need for it, today and tomorrow. The success of the MILK biopic showed that there is still a need and desire for our history and our stories. And while society’s urge to censor us and make us invisible has grudgingly eased for gay and lesbian folk, it’s only passing over to the transgendered, the ‘fluid’ and the kinky. There’s still so many stories to be told.
Can you recommend a few titles that Broken Pencil readers can find at Glad Day?
God Loves Hair by Vivek Shraya (independent) is a tiny, self-published kids book that takes on race, gender, religion and more. I don’t know if this one counts because I assume it must be in the bigger stores by now, it’s that good.
Steam-Powered, edited by JoSelle Vanderhooft (Torquere Press) is a collection of lesbian steampunk stories and the towering specificity of that makes me laugh and cheer.
Holy Rollers by Rob Byrnes (Bold Strokes) is a caper comedy about a gay couple who plot to rob $7-million from a right-wing mega-church that turns out to be better at larceny than them. Can’t wait to read it!
Glad Day Bookshop is located at 598A Yonge Street, Toronto, and is open seven days a week. Visit them online at www.gladdaybookshop.com, or follow them on twitter as @GDBooks. Glad Day is hosting a number of Pride readings in Toronto this week – keep track with our Indie Events listings here.