The Bookshop Bids Farewell
- neighbourhoodmedia
- Dec 3
- 2 min read
Sydney’s iconic LGBTQ+ bookstore, The Bookshop, to close after more than four decades
The Bookshop, a much-loved pillar of Sydney’s LGBTQ + community, is closing its doors Dec 24th, 2025.
Since it first opened its queer friendly doors in 1982, The Bookshop has been a sanctuary, a hub, and a veritable treasure chest for the LGBTQ+ community and book-lovers as a whole. It began after founders Les McDonald and his partner, Wayne Harrison, took a trip to the US and saw enough demand for LGBTQ+ literature to create a viable business venture back on Australian shores.
They began importing books and selling via mail order, but the business grew rapidly, and within two years, the shopfront at 207 Oxford St had opened.
They began importing books and selling through mail order, operating from their home, but the business grew so rapidly that within a short time they opened a bricks and mortar store on Crown Street in 1982. Two years later, they moved to their location at 207 Oxford Street, establishing the store as a landmark for locals and tourists.
The early 1980s was a volatile time for Sydney’s LGBTQ+ community: homosexuality was still illegal until 1984; the Sydney Gay Mardi Gras was in its infancy after a tumultuous start; gay hate crimes were rampant; and of course, the AIDS pandemic had descended like a toxic black cloud.
It was a challenging time for queer people to come out, be out, or find enough information to help them make that decision.
In a time before the internet, The Bookshop has always been a rare, safe place to ask questions and seek answers, to explore possibilities and imbibe a new culture. One of the few places that sold books, magazines, and other paraphernalia that catered to the queer community. Throughout its tenure, The Bookshop has hosted countless book launches and signings with both talented locals and well-known international authors.
However, recent developments along Oxford Street have made life and a viable future impossible for The Bookshop, and despite best efforts, it will be closing its doors on December 24 this year. Until then, you can visit the store, buy incredible books, and celebrate this incredible part of the Surry Hills community while it’s still there!
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