The Queerish Bookshop has been a space championing LGBTQ+ literature since it opened its hot pink doors on Bondgate in October 2023.
Since then, it has been providing a venue for the community outside of pride events, while selling a range of “radical and LGBTQ+” books.
However, founder Megan Hemsley announced on Saturday (December 28) that the physical store would be shutting for good.
Megan penned an emotional note on social media, saying the reason behind the closure was due to various factors, including workload and footfall.
The young entrepreneur said going forward she plans to focus her energy on The Queerish Book Club, the store’s monthly book club for adults specialising in queer literature.
The store is expected to shut in January or February 2025, with an exact closing date not known.
The news was met with sadness from “gutted” fans, with one saying: “So sorry to hear this news but I know how hard it is to pull something like this off.”
Another added: “Oh this is such sad news, but completely understandable. I hope you manage to find a better work/life balance. The shop will be very much missed.”
The full statement from Megan said: “Hey gays, so there’s no really easy way to say this but I have made the difficult decision to shut the brick-and-mortar store for The Queerish Bookshop.
“I created the bookshop out of a strong passion to bring to life a physical queer space for the community in Darlington and the North East, but multiple factors have led to my decision to close the physical store.
“As mentioned in a previous post, I have been juggling self-employment with traditional employment for years now and my life is quite unbalanced and stressful as a result of this.
“In 2025, I want to begin to focus more on my well-being and move away from my workaholic tendencies.
Equally, while the space has been managing to cover its overheads thanks to your support, most days the bookshop is quiet.
“I didn’t know when I started how the shop would be received and I’m honestly chuffed with the results, but the reality is the space can’t be sustained with the lack of footfall/tourism a small town like Darlington gets.
“Not to mention we can’t compete with the prices the chain stores and conglomerates offer.
“Given our main value is community, I’d rather focus my energy on projects I believe have greater strengths and longevity with the community, such as The Queerish Book Club.
“I wanted to say a massive thank you for supporting Queerish, and especially to those who have volunteered their time to keep the space open.
“This past year and a bit have been an absolute blast and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved with the shop and I’m looking forward to the next phase of Queerish (whatever that may be).
“A logistics post will be released tomorrow explaining our reduced hours, sale, and book club plan moving forward.”