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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Books / Community It's the end of an era: Outwrite is permanently closed

Posted by Bobby Feingold on Thu, Jan 26, 2012 at 11:16 AM

In a written statement, owner Philip Rafshoon said,
  • Joeff Davis
  • In a written statement, owner Philip Rafshoon said, "We have examined and exhausted all possibilities for continuing this company given our financial situation."
After 18 years as Atlanta's LGBT bookstore, owner Philip Rafshoon announced today that Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse will close for good and file for bankruptcy, according to the GA Voice. For months, Rafshoon said Outwrite would move from its 10th and Piedmont location to a less expensive space, but "we have run out of time and money to make that transformation," he explained in a written statement.

On Tuesday, Outwrite celebrated its final event of author readings called "Last Tango." There, City Councilman Alex Wan honored Rafshoon for establishing "a city landmark and one of the most visible and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender establishments in the nation.”

Rafshoon opened the original 1,000-square-foot Outwrite in 1993 in the Midtown Promenade shopping center that now houses Trader Joe's. At that time, it was Atlanta's only gay and lesbian bookstore (aside from the more feminist-focused Charis Books & More). As the store grew, Rafshoon expanded to the Piedmont Ave. location in May 1996 at the height of the Olympics boom. Outwrite cemented the Midtown corner as ground zero for gay Atlanta for more than a decade, but on Nov. 14, 2011, Rafshoon announced the store would vacate its iconic storefront in search for cheaper rent. Now that the bookstore is closed for good, it leaves a void for the city's LGBT community to gather in a safe, intellectual space. Rafshoon has yet to announce any other business plans, but we hope this isn't his last attempt at engaging Atlanta's gay community.

See more photos from Outwrite's "Last Tango"

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Slideshow
Outwrite Bookstore's last tango

Outwrite Bookstore's last tango

January 24, 2011 - Last night, a final evening of author readings was held at Outwrite. The store was packed and, though spirits were high, there was a weight and sadness in the air as the imminent closing of the beloved store continues to loom. Usually, authors would read from selected published poems or books, but last night many shared personal poems written in homage to the bookstore that has served as a nurturing hub for Atlanta's LGBT community since 1993.

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Obviously this decision wasn't just made today, so why did he string the community along during the store's closing process?

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Posted by jurban8 on 01/26/2012 at 11:43 AM

In a way is this a good thing? That the LGBT community has reached a point where "ground zero for gay Atlanta" isn't really needed anymore? There is a ways to go, of course, but maybe it's just a sign of progress.

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Posted by bravo890 on 01/26/2012 at 12:40 PM

I don't know if it's a sign of progress as much as its just a sign of the times. Media has changed, and gay culture has changed, since Outwrite first opened.

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Posted by jurban8 on 01/26/2012 at 12:59 PM

A sign of the times indeed, but still a loss. Contemporary gay culture increasingly lacks the 'safe' places for social opportunities that gay bookstores represented-- they were generally accessible to everyone while they avoided the raffishness and occasional pretentiousness of bars. It seems that today's LGBT civic and social organizations are more and more oriented to a gay bourgeoisie with disposable income to drop on fundraising and charity events, leaving more marginal earners and people in more tenuous places in life few reliable places to interact in public.

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Posted by federico on 01/26/2012 at 1:26 PM

Aside from the obvious loss for the LGBT community, the store's closing also represents the resounding changes in the book and publishing industry in general, and I think we need to widen the discussion about how we are receiving and purchasing our information and the obviously devastating effect it is having on local businesses and our community as a whole.

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Posted by ehensley on 01/26/2012 at 2:52 PM

I spent many, many a happy hour at Outwrite as a 20-something who didn't drink and wanted to socialize, have a cup of coffee, find books to read. Bought a copy of my favorite book EVER at Outwrite, in fact, and used to have great discussions with staff on books. Also made friends and engaged in bizarre flirtations. Anyway, it was just heaven for a young person who was not into bars or spending a lot of cash. Even though I had reduced my visits there to 2-3 times a year, just because I don't spend a lot of time in that part of Midtown, I will still miss it.

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Posted by wdarling on 01/26/2012 at 6:24 PM

"...not into bars or SPENDING A LOT OF CASH.". And we wonder why they closed lol.

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Posted by jurban8 on 01/26/2012 at 9:29 PM
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