Minnesota’s queer readers have more places to browse than any one list usually admits. There are explicitly queer shops and a gay bookstore or two, but also romance stores with sapphic shelves, volunteer-run radical collectives, an Indigenous-owned bookstore with Two-Spirit titles, and one of the oldest LGBTQ+ lending libraries in the country. Here’s where to find them, from Minneapolis and St. Paul up to Duluth, Superior, Bemidji and Lindström.
Map of every store
- 1DreamHaven Books & Comics2301 E 38th St, Minneapolis, MN 55407, USADirections
- 2XIA Books & Café422 University Ave W, Suite 14, St. Paul, MN 55103, USADirections
- 3Moon Palace Books3032 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406, USADirections
- 4The Irreverent Bookworm5163 Bloomington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USADirections
- 5Black Garnet Books1319 University Ave W, St. Paul, MN 55104, USADirections
- 6Birchbark Books2115 W 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55405, USADirections
- 7Tropes & Trifles2709 E 38th St, Minneapolis, MN 55406, USADirections
- 8Boneshaker Books708 W 26th St, Minneapolis, MN 55405, USADirections
- 9May Day Books301 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USADirections
- 10Milkweed Books1011 Washington Ave S, Suite 107, Minneapolis, MN 55415, USADirections
- 11Quatrefoil Library1220 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55407, USADirections
- 12Amazing Alonzo Bookstore1831 E Superior St, Duluth, MN 55812, USADirections
- 13Crow & Co. Books1323 Broadway St, Superior, WI 54880, USADirections
- 14Zenith Bookstore318 N Central Ave, Duluth, MN 55807, USADirections
- 15The Bookstore at Fitger’s600 E Superior St, Lower Level, Duluth, MN 55802, USADirections
- 16Foxes & Fireflies Booksellers1401 Tower Ave, Superior, WI 54880, USADirections
- 17Forbidden Love Bookstore114 4th St NW, Bemidji, MN 56601, USADirections
- 18Bruyere Books & Tea12814 Lake Blvd, Lindström, MN 55045, USADirections
LGBTQ+ Bookstores in Minneapolis and St. Paul
DreamHaven Books & Comics
Sci-fi, fantasy & horror · LGBTQ+ graphic novels
DreamHaven Books & Comics, although specializing in Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror, is, assures owner Greg Ketter, “very well LGBTQ friendly and has a sizable display of works, particularly graphic novels.” Ketter’s community support is such he was guest of honor at Gaylaxicon 2025, “a truly great honor.”
Find it2301 E. 38th St., Minneapolis 55407 · dreamhavenbooks.com · View listing
XIA Books & Café
AAPI & BIPOC authors · café
XIA Books and Café, located in the Little Mekong Cultural District (Mackubin to Marion), provides creative space to help local Asian and BIPOC communities cultivate cultural assets and preserve heritage. Although focusing on Minnesota authors, their curation parameters are broad, offering, in addition to nonfiction, history, and memoir, AAPI best sellers, children’s books, and LGBTQ+ materials, e.g., Robin Ha’s Fox Maidens: A Graphic Novel, a queer reimagining of the fox legend of Korean mythology. Add the tempting café for a memorable visit.
Find it422 University Ave. W, Suite 14, St. Paul 55103 · xiabooks.org · View listing
Moon Palace Books
LGBTQ+, trans & gender studies · Queer Book Club
Moon Palace Books is well known for its wide selection of LGBTQ+, trans-inclusive, and gender studies sections, with a focus on BIPOC authors, Black and Indigenous writers, for whom they host readings, panels, and book launches. The store has hosted meetings of the Twin Cities Queer Book Club.
A meticulous online system lets you target a title or theme, and a click tells whether it’s currently in the system, how many copies, with a précis. Order to pick up in store, or, if it’s not available, it will be ordered, with an alert when it arrives. A cornucopia at your fingertips at home, or drop in and browse.
Find it3032 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis 55406 · moonpalacebooks.com · View listing
The Irreverent Bookworm
New & used queer titles · occult
If “intensely queer, writing and occult” catches your eye, this may be just the shop you’ve been seeking. “We make a point to keep books by BIPOC authors in stock, shelved in the different sections throughout the store (classics, general fiction, etc.) rather than set aside in one area, and we do have an extensive selection of new and used queer titles.”
Find it5163 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis 55417 · irrevbooks.com · View listing
Black Garnet Books
Black-, queer- & women-owned · BIPOC authors
Women-, queer- and Black-owned, specializing in contemporary adult and YA literature by racially diverse, BIPOC authors and illustrators; queer curated identities.
Find it1319 University Ave. W, St. Paul 55104 · blackgarnetbooks.com · View listing
Birchbark Books
Indigenous literature · Two-Spirit shelves
This “tiny, independent bookstore’s” author-owner Louise Erdrich specializes in Native American and Indigenous literature, adult, YA, and children’s titles, with prominent, dedicated shelves for Indigenous LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit themes. “We are a locus for indigirati, literate Indigenous people who have survived over half a millennium on this continent.” A local source for Erdrich’s own distinguished works, as well.
Find it2115 W. 21st St., Minneapolis 55405 · birchbarkbooks.com · View listing
Tropes & Trifles
Romance · queer & sapphic sub-genres
A romance bookstore shelving its titles under inclusive sub-genres: queer and sapphic romances, trans joy, and diverse others. The online events calendar lists the Rainbow Pages Queer Book Club, book release parties, author signings, and more. Get a heads-up on coming releases, what’s waiting in stock, and the staff’s personal romance picks.
Find it2709 E. 38th St., Minneapolis 55406 · tropesandtrifles.com · View listing
“We are a locus for indigirati, literate Indigenous people who have survived over half a millennium on this continent.”
Birchbark Books
Boneshaker Books
Volunteer-run radical bookstore · zines
A volunteer-run, radical bookstore in the Wedge neighborhood, aiming to introduce readers to leftist politics, with an emphasis on social justice, anarchism, local zines, and queer liberation literature. Open seven days a week, the LynLake lavender-hued storefront has access to many other volumes not in the in-store inventory; you’re invited to request.
Good to knowMasks required in the shop, available there.
Find it708 W. 26th St., Minneapolis 55405 · boneshakerbooks.com · View listing
May Day Books
Volunteer collective · left-wing literature
A volunteer collective dedicated to selling a wide array of left-wing literature. Among the genres available are feminist, African American, Latino, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, community-oriented, survivalist, rock and folk music. “50 years in existence, 35 years on the West Bank.”
Find it301 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis 55454 · maydaybookstore.org · View listing
Milkweed Books
Nonprofit press bookstore · independent presses
Independent and nonprofit, Milkweed stocks books by its own publishing house and from other independent presses. Their stated aim is to “be a site of metamorphosis,” by taking risks on debut and experimental writers. To this end, they actively offer and publish works by LGBTQ+ and BIPOC authors. The bookstore is located in the Open Book building.
Find itOpen Book, 1011 Washington Ave. S, Minneapolis 55415 · milkweed.org · View listing
Quatrefoil Library
LGBTQIA+ lending library · used book sale
Although they maintain a small section of affordable, used queer books for sale, Quatrefoil is a library (the second-oldest circulating LGBTQIA+ library in the US) and a community hub where one has access to more than 25,000 queer books, zines, and rare historical archives. They host book clubs and maintain the used book sales through donations, and a library card is free.
Find it1220 E. Lake St., Minneapolis 55407 · qlibrary.org · View listing
Bookstores in Duluth and the Twin Ports
Amazing Alonzo Bookstore
New & used · since 1982
“We are Duluth’s oldest independent bookstore, established in 1982 by my mom, Barb Plumb,” Nate told Q Minnesota. “Her motto for the store was ‘Something for Everyone,’ and she meant it. She wanted our store to be a safe place for people to learn and grow. I’m keeping that. Inclusivity is near and dear to my heart. With the addition of new books to our inventory, we’ve been able to boost these sections [LGBTQ+, BIPOC] with a wider selection of books.”
Find it1831 E. Superior St., Duluth 55812 · amazingalonzobookstore.com · View listing
Crow & Co. Books
Queer, weird & wonderful · book swap
A brick-and-mortar store (sharing space with Ritual Marketplace) that also hosts pop-ups in Duluth “and beyond!”, the latter a movable bookstore and book swap service around the Twin Ports celebrating “queer, weird, and wonderful literature.” Readers may bring up to four “gently used” titles to swap for tokens, spendable on used books or discounts on new volumes. (Used books not taken are donated to local charities.)
Owners Sara and Lara Crow regularly bring books to local establishments, rotating between Bent Paddle, Dovetail Café, Duluth Cider, 190 Coffee and Tea, and Wild State Cider. Said Sara, “We tend towards things that have LGBTQ or characters and writers from other marginalized communities, because we love hearing new stories.”
Find it1323 Broadway St., Superior, WI 54880 · crowandcobooks.com · View listing
Zenith Bookstore
Independent · ships to all 50 states
A West Duluth independent with a reputation locally as a safe, progressive space. Browse the shelves in person, or search their inventory and titles from publishers across the country online. Staff picks and shelf-talkers run throughout the store, and they ship to all 50 states.
Find it318 N. Central Ave., Duluth 55807 · zenithbookstore.com · View listing
“We tend towards things that have LGBTQ or characters and writers from other marginalized communities, because we love hearing new stories.”
Sara Crow, Crow & Co. Books
The Bookstore at Fitger’s
Banned Book Club · historic Fitger’s Complex
Located in the historic Fitger’s Complex in Duluth, they offer a wide and diverse selection of fiction and nonfiction LGBTQ+ and BIPOC literature, and actively curate works that highlight underrepresented voices, marginalized perspectives and diverse cultures.
Since early 2025, the store has hosted The Banned Book Club, focusing on challenged or banned works. From its inception (the original selection was Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye), organizers emphasized that a great percentage of banned books countrywide focus on race, BIPOC authors and LGBTQ+ characters, and so the club itself became a platform celebrating diverse perspectives.
Find it600 E. Superior St., lower level of Fitger’s, Duluth 55802 · fitgersbookstore.com · View listing
Foxes & Fireflies Booksellers
LGBTQ+ & feminist sections · silent book club
Local, independent, and operating as a general-interest and community hub, Foxes & Fireflies explicitly lists LGBTQ+ and feminist titles along with sections for science fiction, fantasy, and YA literature. If a title is out of stock on the shelves, you can check their online catalogue or ask owner Maria to custom order a specific LGBTQ+ or BIPOC title for you. Known as a cozy and welcoming “third place” in downtown Superior, you can have a coffee, check out the monthly Silent Book Club, or check inventory inside the old federal building’s vault.
Find it1401 Tower Ave., Superior, WI 54880 · foxesfirefliesbooksellers.com · View listing
North of the Cities
Forbidden Love Bookstore
Romance · LGBTQ+ among the sub-genres
A romance bookstore stocking dark romance, romantasy, contemporary, LGBTQ+, rom-com and young adult titles, with monthly book clubs, audiobook walks and author signings on the calendar.
Find it114 Fourth St. NW, Bemidji 56601 · forbiddenlovebookstore.com · View listing
Bruyere Books & Tea
Queer & neurodivergent books · tea
Here you’ll find a community space curated around “explicitly queer and neurodivergent books and/or authors,” catering to “readers, tea-drinkers and deep feelers.” More than books and beverage, they call themselves a “sanctuary for every soul seeking warmth, words, and belonging.” Browse beyond the shelves to loose-leaf teas, bookish gifts and literary merch.
Find it12814 Lake Blvd., Lindström 55045 · bruyerebooksandtea.com · View listing
