EDGE Atlanta

After more than 15 years at the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Tenth Street, the popular Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse will move out of its current Midtown location. High rent has prompted the bookstore to relocate to another location.

The past few weeks have been bittersweet for Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse owner Philip Rafshoon as he and his staff prepare to move the popular Midtown store from its all too familiar location at the corner of Piedmont and Tenth Streets.

Rafshoon and his staff have been slashing the prices of merchandise in the hopes of clearing out all the stock. And with the ’King Size Sales’ that have been advertised, the customers have been pouring in to show their support after learning that the store will move from Atlanta’s gay Mecca.

Although he loves the location, Rafshoon can no longer afford the rent.

"People have been coming in from everywhere saying how they want us to stay and how they love having us here," he said of his independent corner bookstore with its rainbow flag waving proudly out front. Rafshoon described as "a symbol of strength and diversity in our community."

One of those customers who stopped in a few weeks ago after learning the news was Powder Springs resident Nikki Peebles. She first found out about Outwrite from her girlfriend, Kenyatta Riley.

"The first time I went to Outwrite was back in 2000. I was 19 years old, and it was also my first gay Pride," she said. "I was so excited to go into my first gay establishment."

Shortly after her first visit, Peebles and Riley moved to Atlanta. She said part of the reason for their move to Georgia was because of the state’s many gay businesses and establishments.

"We visited Outwrite often while we lived downtown, and whenever someone visited from out of town it was always in the plan to take them to Outwrite," said Peebles.

Like so many others who finally found a place where they could be themselves, Peebles said she was saddened to hear that the bookstore is leaving Midtown.

"I have so many memories there," she said. "The very first time I held hands with my partner in public was at Outwrite. Years later my brother came out to me. We were sitting on the patio drinking mocha one evening."

Peebles and Riley visited the store two weeks ago for what they called "that proverbial last cup of coffee and a Curve magazine."

"I love Outwrite because it is a place to go to be yourself and it gives you a chance to be openly gay in a safe environment," she said. "You can be who you are without being stared at, kiss your partner or get an autograph from RuPaul or the late E. Lynn Harris (during some of the store’s popular author book readings.) It is more than a bookstore it’s a gay landmark."

Serving LGBT Atlanta for 18 Years
Rafshoon first opened Outwrite in 1993 at the Midtown Promenade shopping center at Monroe Drive and Virginia Avenue.

The former mainframe computer salesman gave up that career after 10 years and ended up opening up the store in which he was initially only supposed to invest. After plans fell through, he was encouraged to move forward with opening a bookstore and space where everyone felt safe to be themselves.

"It was the early 1990s and gay books were booming," noted Rafshoon, stressing his passion for the bookstore and a safe space for LGBT Atlantans.

The journey to opening his beloved store took some time.

A plan had to be created and money needed to be raised and at that time Rafshoon couldn’t find a landlord who would rent to him. Looking back on the early days, Rafshoon said he realized that he was part of the reason why he had a hard time getting someone to rent him a space.

He would shyly ease into the conversation that the space would be used for a "gay" bookstore. Rafshoon said he learned an early lesson in not being afraid of who you are and asking for what you need. After he changed his approach, he had no problem finding the site for Outwrite’s first location at the Midtown Promenade shopping center.

"It was an instant success," recalled Rafshoon.

The store’s events grew and when Olympic gold medalist diver Greg Louganis, visited the bookstore after the release of his biography, "Breaking the Surface" in 1995, the small bookstore was finally on the map. Fifteen hundred people arrived at 7 a.m., and stood in line in the pouring rain to get in to hear Louganis read from his book at 3 p.m.

After all the popularity, Rafshoon was in need of more space. He moved the store to its current location in 1996. Rafshoon was told that the former disco club was cursed, but he begged to differ.

"I wanted to be right in the middle of the community," said Rafshoon. "I felt that we had our finger on the pulse of what was going on in the community. We were right at the center when things were about to happen."

Rafshoon proved the naysayers wrong for 15 years. "The space is great, but the rent is too damn high," he said of the reason for the move. "We are optimistic that we will find something that is good if not better for us."

The plan is to find another more affordable location in Midtown that will not only feature LGBT literature, but a wide array of fiction, political, style, entertainment, photography and art books. The new Outwrite will also feature CDs and DVDs, cards, gifts and a coffeehouse with cupcakes, cookies, cakes, sandwiches and soups.

While it is still business as usual, Rafshoon will host one last event, ’Last Tango at Piedmont & Tenth,’ on Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Atlanta poet Franklin Abbott is scheduled to emcee the evening of readings by some of the city’s favorite writers, all of whom have previously appeared at Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse. These include Hollis Gillespie, Don Perryman, Karen Head, Collin Kelley, Mose Hardin and Daniel Helminiak.

Rafshoon: Need for LGBT Bookstore Still Exists
Despite those who feel that there is no longer a need for LGBT-exclusive communities or think that independent bookstore cannot survive with Amazon or e-readers, Rafshoon said the recent holiday season proved otherwise.

He said the key to keep independent and locally owned businesses from closing is to shop locally. And he plans to foster this movement in Atlanta once he re-opens Outwrite in another great Midtown location in mid-February.

"I really want to foster that movement here in Atlanta," said Rafshoon.