In this eleventh instalment of Repeater’s short guide to radical independent bookshops, we spoke to Ray (she/her), Owner of The Bookish Type in Leeds. 

You started as a shop very recently, in September 2020. What is your origin story?

We’ve always loved visiting queer and radical bookshops because they are such inspiring places. Leeds has a thriving queer scene so we thought that we would set up a bookshop. We firstly tested the water with pop-up bookstalls and, since they proved very popular, we then found premises, set up a website and opened The Bookish Type in the Merrion Shopping Centre. Opening in September 2020 means that we’re a pandemic bookshop – we don’t actually know what it’s like to trade in normal times!

What is the mission of The Bookship Type? Do you have a particular set of values?

We champion LGBTIQA+ authors and books with queer themes and characters because we know the importance of seeing yourself – and your community – represented. There is so much amazing queer literature out there which we want to celebrate. We always say that the bookshop is there for quiet queers and bookish types, and I hope that we’ve created a comfortable and friendly space where people can browse and explore queer culture. 

We champion LGBTIQA+ authors and books with queer themes and characters because we know the importance of seeing yourself – and your community – represented.

Do you specialise in specific titles or genres? How do you decide what to buy-in and sell?

We sell books by queer authors or books with LGBTIQA+ content or characters, and that includes fiction, non-fiction, memoir, children’s books, YA, graphic novels and poetry. We also sell books with a focus on social justice, activism and issues such as race, feminism and disability because it’s important to recognise that queer people’s identities and interests go way beyond their gender and sexuality.

You pride yourself on being a community bookshop – can you explain what type of work this involves?

We try to actively support and work with the local queer community; we sell cards and zines by local queers and promote local LGBTIQA+ events. We have a Pay It Forward scheme for anyone who can’t afford to buy a book and we also run Queer History Tours around Leeds, hold Secondhand Sundays to raise money for local LGBTIQA+ groups and offer discounts to local book groups.

Independent bookshops offer a personal touch; our stock is curated to meet the needs of our customers and we’re great at offering recommendations.

Do you host events in the bookshop? If so, what do you have lined up?

We run our really popular Secondhand Sundays in the shop and we have a queer darning workshop coming up which we’re excited about. Our author events have been online so far, but they’ve been very successful and we’re proud to have worked with the likes of Meg-John Barker and Andrew McMillan.

Why do you think independent bookshops like The Bookish Type are so important?

Independent bookshops offer a personal touch; our stock is curated to meet the needs of our customers and we’re great at offering recommendations.

How would you summarize The Bookish Type and your work in 3 words?

Queer, independent and community focused. I’d add feminist if I was allowed a 4^th word!

You can find out more about The Bookish Type by clicking here. 

Interview by Immy Higgins. 

Featured image credit: The Bookish Type 

Ray also recommends Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis and Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg (no longer commercially printed but can order to print here and it is available to read via PDF for free here).