Iconic Castro Bookstore Going Out of Business!

It looks like the final chapter has arrived for one of the cultural landmarks of San Francisco’s gay community.

The Castro’s A Different Light Bookstore, one of the few remaining LGBT bookstores in the United States, is apparently closing, reports The Bay Citizen. This comes on the heels of the closure of the Mission's Modern Times, another independent progressive bookstore.

“Everything must go” signs were spotted in the store today. Dismantled shelving sat in a pile in the back of the store. Neighborhood chatter is that doors will close for good this spring.

A Different Light has been the gathering place for the Bay Area’s gay literati for decades – the company was first established in 1979. Local authors like Armistead Maupin would often pack the store full of eager readers when launching their latest titles.