Seattle’s queer book scene is about to get a whole lot bigger: Charlie’s Queer Books is opening a second location, this time in the heart of Capitol Hill.
The new shop will be right next door to Unicorn Bar, across the street from Wildrose, and just around the corner from Elliott Bay Book Company. Basically, it’s landing in the perfect place for a queer bookstore.
For anyone who hasn’t visited the original, Charlie’s Queer Books is a Fremont bookstore specializing in LGBTQ+ books, along with cards, gifts, and other goodies. The shop also has a meeting room that regularly hosts book clubs, author readings, and other free community events.
And the Capitol Hill location is going to be seriously bigger. As owners Charlie Hunts and Madeline Burchard told The Stranger, the Fremont store has been so successful that they’ve simply run out of room—not just for more books, but for all the people and events they want to fit inside. The new shop will be ADA accessible and twice the size of the original, with a dedicated events and gathering area that can accommodate up to 50 people.
That extra room will come in handy, since Charlie’s Queer Books already keeps a busy calendar of free programming, including open mics, trivia nights, writing workshops, book clubs, author readings, and more.
There’s another fun addition, too: Unlike the Fremont shop, the new Capitol Hill Charlie’s will include a coffee shop and wine bar. So you’ll be able to browse the shelves, grab a drink, and settle in for an event all under one roof.
The new location is currently set to open in November. We’ll share the details of the grand opening soon!
