Toronto’s beloved Glad Day Bookshop, the world’s oldest LGBTQ-owned bookstore, will be leaving behind its longtime home in the Village due to skyrocketing rent costs.
The 499 Church Street bookstore is moving its operations to 32 Lisgar Street, a more compact, low-cost space in the Queen West neighbourhood. This move comes after a year of uncertainty and crowdfunding that has breathed new life into the cherished 55-year-old institution.
Glad Day recently shared the news on its Instagram page, saying it’s not a long-term solution but a “stable” home-base for now.
Last year, Glad Day came face to face with an imminent eviction notice and what would have been a subsequent permanent closure. In response, it launched a fundraising campaign with an ambitious goal of $300,000 aimed at buying time to explore survival strategies. Thanks to the generosity of more than 2,400 donors, nearly $200,000 was raised, an amount critical in keeping Glad Day afloat.
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While lead owner Michael Erickson feels relieved that the store will no longer have to dish out the previous payments of $18,000 in rent monthly, he still has some worries about the downsize. Leaving the Village also means removing a crucial hub for 2SLGBTQ individuals, newcomers, and many other vulnerable groups that found solace in the store.
“One thing that I think is concerning with moving to such a different neighbourhood is what’s going to happen to all the people who have been relying on us for those sort of direct to indirect supports?” he explained to Now Toronto on Friday.
“We would like to come back to the Village area, but it has to be done in a way that’s going to be realistic and sustainable, and so we’re going to need support from the city and the community to do that in the neighbourhood.”
A NEW CHAPTER FOR GLAD DAY BOOKSHOP
The new location will feature a curated book collection, café counter, a communal lounge, event spaces, and even a park right out front. However, Erickson says that the typical 500 events that Glad Day produces yearly, such as trivia nights and drag brunches, will be significantly reduced.
“We simply don’t have the space to do that,” he said, but assured that the location will still be a safe space for visitors to drop by.
While the new location is not envisioned as a permanent home, Erickson says the store is continuing to work with the City of Toronto to secure a sustainable, long-term “forever home” that can support its community mission.
Looking ahead, Glad Day emphasized the need for continued support. In the Instagram post, it described the Lisgar space as a blank canvas in a brand-new, fully-accessible building with enormous potential, but it still needs tons of improvements, such as furniture, bookshelves, books, and merchandise.
To keep the momentum going, Glad Day has set a new fundraising target of $150,000. These funds will help cover set-up costs, operating expenses, and importantly, compensate authors and artists participating in events to ensure the store remains a vibrant cultural hub.
As it opens this new chapter in a new space with an aim to be fully-operational by this summer, Erickson’s hope is that supporters will continue to rally behind the store’s mission: preserving an essential space for 2SLGBTQ literature, culture, and connection in Toronto and beyond.
“There’s a lot of hope and there’s some really exciting stuff on the horizon, but we still have to survive long enough to make it there,” he said.
“While there is a lot of relief, the work isn’t done yet, and we need community support and donations to get us through this next phase.”
For those interested in supporting Glad Day through donations, visit the website for more information.
