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Hive Mind Books Needs Your Help to Save the Last Queer Bookstore in Manhattan!
The Bureau of General Services—Queer Division , the only queer bookstore in Manhattan, is at risk of closing when the current owners move out of state at the end of April 2026. At a time when queer literature is under extreme censorship and trans people are being targeted by legislation that threatens their human rights, this space of queer community and culture must be preserved. We need it!
We cannot lose this queer space.
That’s where we come in. Hive Mind Books, Brooklyn's queer independent bookstore and coffee shop, is making a bid to purchase the Bureau and continue stewarding the wonderful community and active events program the current owners have built over the last thirteen years. As part of the acquisition, Hive Mind Books would also reopen the cafe space on the first floor of the LGBT Center, which is the building that houses the Bureau.
From Bureau founders, Greg and Donnie: “As we prepare for a new chapter in our lives, we are thrilled that Hive Mind Books not only wants to keep the Bureau open, but also build on the Bureau’s rich history by linking it to the café in The Center’s lobby as well as to its bookstore community in Bushwick. We hope that everyone who values what the Bureau has done over the past 13+ years will chip in to enable the Bureau to continue serving local and visiting queers for years to come!”
But we can only keep Manhattan’s last queer bookstore open with your support.
In order to keep The Bureau open, Hive Mind Books must secure funding to significantly expand its staff and to purchase the business.
Our goal is to raise $50,000 by June 1. Will you join us with a donation?
Every dollar raised helps us keep the last queer bookstore in Manhattan open. Donations will immediately fund the following:
- Make an initial payment to purchase the Bureau
- Expand staffing for events, bookselling, barista work, and store management
- Transition the Bureau from an all-volunteer operation to a paid staff
- Upgrade the Bureau’s point of sale software to a modern system built for books
- Launch an e-commerce website for the Bureau
- Purchase all supplies and afford all set up for the cafe, including an espresso machine
A bookstore holds not only community, but also our queer history. We must continue to maintain the links between queer generations by keeping the doors to our literature open.
From the outset, the Bureau has served as a critical component of New York City’s queer cultural infrastructure. As an all-volunteer, independent queer bookstore and cultural center, the Bureau has hosted thousands of events, exhibitions, and workshops featuring countless queer authors, poets, scholars, artists, activists, performers, and other members of the global queer community, including Sarah Schulman, Kate Bornstein, Rumi Missabu, Edmund White, Jacqueline Woodson, Michelle Tea, John Keene, Emanuel Xavier, Christopher Bram, Pamela Sneed, Eileen Myles, Torrey Peters, Judy Grahn, and so many others.
The Bureau continues to be a much-needed queer community hub and an important space for gathering outside of bars and nightclubs. We cannot lose it!
Will you donate today?
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Our Vision for the Bureau’s Future
The spirit of community, activism, and queer joy that founders Donnie and Greg have fostered at the Bureau is the same spirit that enlivens Hive Mind Books. We are honored to carry this meaningful work forward. With costs rising in virtually every area for small businesses, we are focusing on ways to grow and financially sustain the Bureau. Our plans for the future of the Bureau include:
- Develop the Bureau’s existing events program to bring in even more authors and community events. In Bushwick, we are proud to offer our space for free to trans and queer people for creative programming and community meetings. We are bursting at the seams with events to host and often run out of space on our calendar. We are excited to open up Manhattan event space to our existing community, while bringing more arts and culture events to the Bureau’s community. Hive Mind Books founder Jules Wernersbach has 20 years of bookstore event experience, including managing the event programs of one of the country’s largest bookstores, and several years’ experience running large scale literary festivals. We’re excited to hire a full time events manager to curate trans and queer programming across both bookstores.
- The Cafe on the first floor of the Center will be branded as an extension of the Bureau and provide an additional revenue stream for the bookstore. The Cafe will be integrated into the Bureau’s marketing and have a bookish spirit, with books and gifts merchandised at the counter. It will be open to serve guests who attend events at the Bureau. Hive Mind Books is known for our friendly and fun coffee service. We are excited to bring the same personal, welcoming spirit to the Cafe at the Center.
- Develop the Bureau’s digital platforms and launch an e-commerce website. We will focus on reaching more people with the Bureau’s existing social media accounts. We will also create an e-commerce website where people can shop from virtually anywhere in the world, where we can easily sell signed books from events, and where we can seamlessly process pre-orders for forthcoming books.
- Create a five year strategic plan for the Bureau. After we are settled into operations, we will begin the internal process of talking with community and staff to identify a strategic trajectory for the bookstore over the next five years. We are excited to set up the business for continued sustainability and growth.
Hive Mind Books has the grit, determination, and experience to continue the Bureau and to do it well. Our stellar cohort of experienced booksellers and baristas, who embody the love and community spirit that is the heart of our business, are excited to bring their sharp skills and deep knowledge of queer literature to the Bureau.
Together, we can preserve the last queer bookstore in Manhattan for many years to come.
Make your donation today to keep trans and queer literary culture vibrant in New York City!