Qmmunity: The Best Little Gay Shop in Austin
Sometimes you want to shop where everything’s made by queers
By Beth Sullivan, Fri., July 31, 2020
Sometimes you want to shop where everything's made by queers, which is why we're stoked about the Little Gay Shop (828 Airport Boulevard). Operating out of a converted shipping container, co-owners and husbands Justin Galicz and Kirt Reynolds' marketplace sells artwork, apparel, and literature made exclusively by the LGBTQIA community. The NYC transplants, who moved here two years ago, started the LGS as a roaming pop-up last summer with the mission to showcase and celebrate queer artwork. The dream was always to open a physical location, Galicz tells me, but finding the shipping container was "one of the more fortunate things for us to happen" out of the pandemic: While he was furloughed from his job in retail, Reynolds came across the property listing and "everything lined up, so we jumped on it." The couple has followed COVID-19 precautions by making in-person shopping by appointment only (Wed.-Sun., noon-6pm) and offering free local delivery and curbside pickup. Despite the challenges, Galicz says it's a critical time for the store to support artists. "They are people that either freelance or they rely solely on pop-ups and markets and fairs and all of these different types of events to make their living," explains Galicz. "With all of those being canceled or postponed, we felt a responsibility to help them in any way we can." Local offerings include perennial favorites from Lone Star Queer, plus the brand's recent T-shirt collab with Cheer Up Charlies, the proceeds of which are split between Black Lives Matter and Cheer Ups' staff recovery fund. There are dreams to open stores in other cities, as well as further expand the LGS brand into a bookstore or coffee shop – with the underlying goal of giving queer creatives credit where it's long overdue. "For so long our queer makers have undervalued their worth or been asked to do things for free or been pushed aside for a different artist who has more access to resources or privilege," says Galicz. "We're just really excited to be providing visibility and compensation." Schedule an appointment at www.thelittlegayshop.com.
2 to Do
Leather Legacies: Bound Together Leather, leather everywhere. Queer art expert and OG "Gay Place" contributor Andy Campbell reads from his new book, Bound Together: Leather, Sex, Archives, and Contemporary Art, about the intersections of art and leather kink history. In conversation with artist Jonesy and performance studies professor Joshua Chambers-Letson. Thu., July 30, 7-8pm. Online (via Zoom). www.fb.com/leatherarchives.
Takeout From Iron Bear Austin's only bear bar is serving up burgers, hot dogs, wings, and lots more takeout and delivery offerings – give 'em a call to place your order, or walk right up to the takeout window. If it strikes your fancy, they've got beer, mixed drinks, and some very frosty, boozy concoctions like Frozen Bear Punch and Blue Vodka Lemonade to wet your whistle, too. Wed.-Sun., 11am-8pm. The Iron Bear, 301 W. Sixth, 512/482-8993. Prices vary. www.ironbear.com.
Q'd Up
The Queer and Trans Community Closet Bus passes, groceries, and more. Days and hours of operation vary. Out Youth, 909 E. 49th½. www.outyouth.org.
Drag Up the Census HTX's Barbra Coa and Angelina DM Trailz show you how to queer the census. Thu., July 30, 6pm. Facebook Live. www.fb.com/equalitytexas.
Revisiting Intentions Spend some time with allgo reflecting on your 2020 expectations. Fri., July 31, 1-3pm. Online. www.allgo.org.
Smells Like Quarantine Spirit DJ minimus offers a night of Nineties jams. Through July 31. Fridays, 9pm. Online. Free (tips encouraged). www.twitch.tv/iamminimus.
A Farm for Meme Elena Araoz directs Virginia Grise's story about semilleros and L.A.'s South Central Farm. Aug. 1-2. English: Sat. 6pm; Sun., 2:45pm. Spanish: Sat., 6:45pm; Sun., 2pm. Online. www.allgo.org.
Haven Virtual Dance Party DJs Crescendoll and Neph bring goth and industrial sounds. Sat., Aug. 1, 8pm-12:30am. www.fb.com/elysiumaustin.
QueerBomb Virtual Planning Meeting The QB queerdos plan for the next DIY, queerer alternative to Pride. Mon., Aug. 3, 7-9pm. Online. www.fb.com/queerbomb.
aGLIFF 33: Prism Be the rainbow, stream the rainbow with Austin's fave queer film fest. Thu.-Sun., Aug. 6-9 & 13-16. Weekend badge, $35; both weekends, $65. www.agliff.org.
Unpacking Polyamorous Relationships The Unpacking Conversation Series creates space for QTBIPOC folks to talk about poly life. Thu., Aug. 6, 7-9pm. Online. www.kindclinic.org.
