Lambda Rising, Washington, D.C.’s sole bookstore for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgendered literature and gifts, will close its Dupont Circle and Rehoboth Beach, DE locations and online store shortly after the New Year.
“In recent years, sales weren’t what they used to be,” said founder Deacon Maccubbin. The store functioned not only as a shopping destination for hard to find literature, but also as a community-meeting center for LGBT activism and authors’ readings. Maccubbin, 66, who opened the shop in 1974, turned down multiple offers to sell the stores, or sell its online retail site independently. “People wanted to purchase it for an investment rather than for the community.”
The closing comes amidst a difficult time for the bookstore industry. According to Publishersweekly.com, American bookstores’ sales fell 0.9 percent in October 2009 alone, totaling $1.03 billion in losses. The store's closing is another loss for a niche industry struggling to compete with powerful online retailers such as Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and the Recession. Silver Spring-based Lisa Moore, owner and publisher of Red Bone Press, an LGBT book-publishing company whose titles were sold at Lambda Rising said, “There used to be 200 odd bookstores like this in the country and now there are a handful. Amazon takes 55 percent off before shipping, and I still have to pay for shipping. I don’t make any money. I wish that someone else had taken [Lambda Rising’s business] over.”
Another member of D.C.'s LGBT scene echoed Moore’s frustration. Zach Rosen, co-founder of thenewgay.net, an LGBT forum for social networking and alternative gay media, stated via email that the loss would not be sated by local bookstores’ LGBT sections. “As gay life continues to fracture and to move online, intellectual meeting spaces like Lambda Rising will be at a premium. It’s not the same to go to Barnes and Noble and see yourself sequestered into three shelves in the LGBT section at the back of the store.”
Barnes and Noble and the D.C. Public Library declined to comment on possible plans to expand their LGBT offerings in reaction to Lambda Rising’s closing. At Dupont Circle's KramerBooks and Afterwords, an independent bookstore which is not LGBT focused, a manager (who requested not to be indentified) did not see Lambda's closing an opportunity to expand their LGBT section. “We already have quite a good selection of LGBT titles. Lambda hasn’t been a bookstore in many years. They sell sex toys and magazines.”
On a recent Sunday, the cozy store appeared rather un-crowded for a weekend afternoon. It also showed myriad signs of wear-and-tear and disorganization, perhaps in anticipation of a future liquidation sale, or possibly due to its status as a small independent retailer lacking a large merchandising and decor budget. The staff’s mood was friendly and upbeat, but this author was hard pressed to find more than seven customers, or anyone in the store (aside from the cashier) who appeared to be under the age of 40, reinforcing the fear that younger LGBT customers have abandoned bookstores for online retailers or large chains. Moore’s opinion as to how some stores are surviving the current climate is that larger stores offer coffee, food, and electronics, in addition to books. “Customers go to bookstores now for coffee and other stuff.”
The closing announcement comes just weeks after The Washignton Blade, a local LGBT newspaper, was shuttered. Greg Varner, former Arts Editor of the Blade who also worked at Lambda Rising for one year, sees the double loss as a sign of the times. “The [store’s] cultural influence was waning due to mainstream news covering more gay news. I’m sad, it’s a loss…I do shop at Amazon, it’s cheaper, it’s easy, but I do feel conflicted.”
Kenneth DeGraff, a Hill staffer who came out as a gay man 12 years ago, also said the Internet has usurped independent bookstores’ raison d’etre. “Most community activism is happening via Facebook or email, although there’s still a need for group meetings. I generally order from Amazon…we don’t think about our decisions as much as older folks.” Indeed, in its best year, Lambda Rising “gave up to a quarter of a million dollars in cash and donated items to local LGBT charities,” said Maccubbin.
Scott Shrake, a gay male and Huffington Post writer, said that it “feels like the final chapter for Dupont as the gay epicenter in D.C…The face-to-face community activism boat has sailed. Everything is going online, it’s part of the larger culture…if we’d ordered more from [Lambda Rising] online, it would have been a drop in the bucket.”
Ebone Bell, a party promoter for LGBT club nights and founder of Boimarketing.com, felt "emotional" about the closing. “It was great to find books relating to being a young African-American lesbian there, stories about coming out to my family.” The lifelong D.C. area resident added, “The big bookstores carry LGBT titles, but [Lambda Rising] had a much better selection.”
Local LGBT activist Frank Kameny recently criticized Maccubbin in Metro Weekly (a guide to D.C. area’s LGBT news and entertainment) for saying, “mission accomplished” in regards to the decision to close his business. Despite being criticized publicly, Maccubbin said he has no ill feelings towards Kamery. “I respect him immensely. He convinced me to come out in 1968…my [store’s] mission was to demonstrate that there was a need for LGBT literature. We accomplished this.”
Looking ahead, Maccubbin said he’s excited about retirment and is mulling plans to open an LGBT art gallery. “I’d like to write a book and travel the world with my husband. I was wedded to the store seven days per week. Now its time to move onto another stage in life…I won’t do Lambda 2.0.”
“In recent years, sales weren’t what they used to be,” said founder Deacon Maccubbin. The store functioned not only as a shopping destination for hard to find literature, but also as a community-meeting center for LGBT activism and authors’ readings. Maccubbin, 66, who opened the shop in 1974, turned down multiple offers to sell the stores, or sell its online retail site independently. “People wanted to purchase it for an investment rather than for the community.”
The closing comes amidst a difficult time for the bookstore industry. According to Publishersweekly.com, American bookstores’ sales fell 0.9 percent in October 2009 alone, totaling $1.03 billion in losses. The store's closing is another loss for a niche industry struggling to compete with powerful online retailers such as Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and the Recession. Silver Spring-based Lisa Moore, owner and publisher of Red Bone Press, an LGBT book-publishing company whose titles were sold at Lambda Rising said, “There used to be 200 odd bookstores like this in the country and now there are a handful. Amazon takes 55 percent off before shipping, and I still have to pay for shipping. I don’t make any money. I wish that someone else had taken [Lambda Rising’s business] over.”
Another member of D.C.'s LGBT scene echoed Moore’s frustration. Zach Rosen, co-founder of thenewgay.net, an LGBT forum for social networking and alternative gay media, stated via email that the loss would not be sated by local bookstores’ LGBT sections. “As gay life continues to fracture and to move online, intellectual meeting spaces like Lambda Rising will be at a premium. It’s not the same to go to Barnes and Noble and see yourself sequestered into three shelves in the LGBT section at the back of the store.”
Barnes and Noble and the D.C. Public Library declined to comment on possible plans to expand their LGBT offerings in reaction to Lambda Rising’s closing. At Dupont Circle's KramerBooks and Afterwords, an independent bookstore which is not LGBT focused, a manager (who requested not to be indentified) did not see Lambda's closing an opportunity to expand their LGBT section. “We already have quite a good selection of LGBT titles. Lambda hasn’t been a bookstore in many years. They sell sex toys and magazines.”
On a recent Sunday, the cozy store appeared rather un-crowded for a weekend afternoon. It also showed myriad signs of wear-and-tear and disorganization, perhaps in anticipation of a future liquidation sale, or possibly due to its status as a small independent retailer lacking a large merchandising and decor budget. The staff’s mood was friendly and upbeat, but this author was hard pressed to find more than seven customers, or anyone in the store (aside from the cashier) who appeared to be under the age of 40, reinforcing the fear that younger LGBT customers have abandoned bookstores for online retailers or large chains. Moore’s opinion as to how some stores are surviving the current climate is that larger stores offer coffee, food, and electronics, in addition to books. “Customers go to bookstores now for coffee and other stuff.”
The closing announcement comes just weeks after The Washignton Blade, a local LGBT newspaper, was shuttered. Greg Varner, former Arts Editor of the Blade who also worked at Lambda Rising for one year, sees the double loss as a sign of the times. “The [store’s] cultural influence was waning due to mainstream news covering more gay news. I’m sad, it’s a loss…I do shop at Amazon, it’s cheaper, it’s easy, but I do feel conflicted.”
Kenneth DeGraff, a Hill staffer who came out as a gay man 12 years ago, also said the Internet has usurped independent bookstores’ raison d’etre. “Most community activism is happening via Facebook or email, although there’s still a need for group meetings. I generally order from Amazon…we don’t think about our decisions as much as older folks.” Indeed, in its best year, Lambda Rising “gave up to a quarter of a million dollars in cash and donated items to local LGBT charities,” said Maccubbin.
Scott Shrake, a gay male and Huffington Post writer, said that it “feels like the final chapter for Dupont as the gay epicenter in D.C…The face-to-face community activism boat has sailed. Everything is going online, it’s part of the larger culture…if we’d ordered more from [Lambda Rising] online, it would have been a drop in the bucket.”
Ebone Bell, a party promoter for LGBT club nights and founder of Boimarketing.com, felt "emotional" about the closing. “It was great to find books relating to being a young African-American lesbian there, stories about coming out to my family.” The lifelong D.C. area resident added, “The big bookstores carry LGBT titles, but [Lambda Rising] had a much better selection.”
Local LGBT activist Frank Kameny recently criticized Maccubbin in Metro Weekly (a guide to D.C. area’s LGBT news and entertainment) for saying, “mission accomplished” in regards to the decision to close his business. Despite being criticized publicly, Maccubbin said he has no ill feelings towards Kamery. “I respect him immensely. He convinced me to come out in 1968…my [store’s] mission was to demonstrate that there was a need for LGBT literature. We accomplished this.”
Looking ahead, Maccubbin said he’s excited about retirment and is mulling plans to open an LGBT art gallery. “I’d like to write a book and travel the world with my husband. I was wedded to the store seven days per week. Now its time to move onto another stage in life…I won’t do Lambda 2.0.”
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