A day after I write about Borders’ woes, I was perusing some DC blogs when I found a link to dc agenda about the upcoming closure of Lambda Rising, a bookstore which has focused on LGBT customers since 1974.

There’s good news from this, though*: unlike Olsson’s, Lamba Rising is closing due to the retirement of its owners:

Deacon Maccubbin, 66, the store’s founder and co-owner, told D.C. Agenda in an exclusive interview that he plans to retire soon and that he and co-owner Jim Bennett, his domestic partner of 32 years, decided they would rather close the stores than sell them to a new owner who might change their focus and mission.

“The phrase ‘mission accomplished’ has gotten a bad rap in recent years but in this case, it certainly applies,”Maccubbinsaid.

“Today, 35 years later, nearly every general bookstore carries GLBT books, often featuring them in special sections**,” he said.

I’m kind of surprised that Maccubbins and Bennett can’t find a person or group willing to buy Lambda Rising and keep on with their founding vision — perhaps a small board of chairpeople could be established to ensure it remains focused on LGBT customers (or, maybe not).

On a personal note, I have never ventured into Lambda Rising. That’s kind of understandable, since I am not part of the store’s target audience, but it’s also too bad, because it is clearly one of those establishments that is truly connected to the community. On the nights I walk home from Borders, it’s rare not to see a large crowd both in the store, and on the sidewalk, talking, laughing, and enjoying each others’ company. I’m going to have to make a point to stop in at some point, just to say I was there.

HT: Rev. Steve’s Cyber-Pulpit, via DC Blogs.

*I mean, I think in this day and age, when a bookstore is going out of business because the owners want to retire, and not because they can’t meet their payroll or pay their rent, that’s a good thing, y’know? Maybe not a good thing, but it’s certainly better than the alternative. So it’s a better thing. At the very least, it’s the reason why bookstores should go out of business: “Because I’m retiring!”

**At Borders, we do have a gay interest section: it’s divided into Gay Literature, and Lesbian Fiction, and I’ve often wondered what that implies about the reading habits of those groups (and also, does this mean ‘gay’ exclusively means a homosexual man? I thought it was used gender non-specifically). Admittedly, it’s not a very large section — about one and a half or two bookcases total, I think.