Giovanni's Room

Welcome to Giovanni's Room, the country's oldest running queer and feminist bookstore, standing at the corner of 12th and Pine in Philadelphia's Gayborhood since 1979. We opened our doors in 1973, named for James Baldwin's novel, and we have been a home for our community ever since. In 2011 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania marked our building as the country's first LGBT bookstore still operating. Step inside our historic brick corner and you will find two floors of stories: more than 7,000 titles on the shelves and a database of some 48,000 works, alongside records, artwork, clothing, and cozy reading nooks upstairs. Since 2014 we have been run by Philly AIDS Thrift, a nonprofit founded in 2005, so every book you buy and every donation you make helps fund local organizations fighting HIV and AIDS. We are proud to keep this legacy alive, welcoming readers, browsers, and first-time visitors alike. For as long as queer bookstores are needed, we will be here. Come find your next favorite book, discover something unexpected, and be part of a community that has gathered here for over fifty years.