Stumbled into this ICON of an establishment. Coffee! Cocktails! Cute gifts! Zines! And, of course, books books books books. I don't care if you can buy these online. Amazon has no taste, honey. This collection is curated for folks like us, and folks who like folks like us, and maybe even for folks who don't yet know they're like us. In conclusion: not for assholes. Everyone else will find something funny, heartbreaking, inspiring, revolutionary, etc etc. And the coffee is good! The espresso martini is to die for (and if you prefer whiskey over vodka, the cute bartender will make it that way). TIP THE BARISTA & BARTENDER. ofc. read more

Glad Day Bookshop - Bookstores Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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It was raining hard when I came here on a chilly Toronto day but the people here were so warm and friendly. I instantly loved this place the moment I walked in. They were so welcoming. I was visiting from Vegas and had told my friend I'd get him a shirt from here. I had put in some time to peruse through books and witty greeting cards. They have stickers, patches...and I wish they had magnets. They serve coffee and other beverages. They have a few tables and chairs. On Sundays, they do drag brunch - I seriously considered switching my itinerary so I could go but it didn't pan out. But the next time I come back, I'd do a better job at making sure I'm here for all of itttt!!! A nice gentleman was helping me out with the shirts especially when trying to figure out what size my friend wears who's like a smedium. I got myself a shirt as well because why not? I told all my friends back home about this place even those who can't read good. They have books written by Billy Porter Sandra Peterson, Kal Penn, etc. and a cute little book called "Your Truest Self" which you will never find in a bookstore in Florida - do they even have bookstores in Florida? read more

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Bookstores are so important. this is much more of a social place than a full, huge bookstore - but that's part of the point of a bookstore. To browse, chat, linger, have coffee. It's also a pleasant respite from the busy area. Just getting to relax and enjoy some things in a safe space. Book selection is quite nice, although not huge. Lots of diversity in books and a sizable children's section. They also host events, so if you're going you might want to check if there's an event going on and they might have limited seating. read more

Pretty good iced tea lemonade. I asked the staff which type of tea and they gave me some recommendations. The initial lemonade didn't have much sweetness and I asked the staff to add more syrup. It tasted better but short of being perfect. read more

My friends and I came for Sunday brunch and drag show. It was great! We made a free reservation, or you can pay ahead to get seats closer to the show. No need to worry though b/c the drag queens go all over the restaurant dancing, and even go outside! That was the best part....watching the amazing drag queens stopping traffic! The food was good. It was a breakfast buffet, with vegetarian and vegan options. There isn't a ton of variety, but there was plenty of food to go around. Great service and a great time. I can't wait to come back. read more

Coffee is delicious. It's such a vibe in there, I will be back to visit for the night time bar. They have a cool selection of books too.

How have I not already described how wonderful this place is?? Given that there seems to be (from my pov) less spaces for queer folks to gather beyond bars/clubs/etc., Glad Day Bookstore has become one of my favourite public queer spots in Toronto, if not my absolute favourite! If you're a bit like me, make sure to keep an eye out for "Sapphic Sundays" in addition to all the diverse queer books one can actually have in hand read more

Glad Day Bookshop - Get Pride pins here (& more)! Feeling invisible--sapphic femme, neurodiverse, etc.? This is my solution - Bookstores Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The village definitely needed this breath of fresh air. In an area that has seen so many spots close, finally something comes along to fill the emptiness that not only suits the area but a place we were all kind of craving. Now, the bookshop has a long history and a good one at that on Yonge street. Its re-invention on Church street definitely suits it more. There's something about this space that although I had never been here before made it seem so familiar and comfortable. I do think because it has the bookstore feel to it that it has played into this sense for everyone. No, its not a Chapters. Far from it. If it's anything, it's a good old gay chapters that has a neighbourhood clientele then of course, its Church Street so it becomes a bar at night. Maybe Chapters would have stayed open LOL. Anyway, it's a mix of old and new. The front of house has a modern coffee spot feel. Towards the middle, you have the bar and bookstore with several tables in between. They have a menu offering quite a few choices that cater to meat eaters, vegetarians and gluten free peeps. I chose breakfast at noon. Can't really go wrong there. It's not the best I've had but the peameal bacon and pain au lait was super tasty. Full coffee house menu.....and yes, bar menu. The host/bartender/server at the bar was friendly and super helpful with any questions I had. Very much in line with the chill vibe here. So why the five stars? It's not like any other coffee house. There's an inclusive here that you feel as you walk in. If you don't like those things, it just feels really comfortable when you walk in. Look, the place needs some tweaking in its interior design but I would rather have this place standing than closed for renos. It's a gem in the neighbourhood that I hope the community embraces as much as it had Glad Day on Yonge Street. Very happy they moved here. read more

Full disclosure: I worked at an independent bookstore for many years that maintained a reputation for an incredible variety of LGBTQ titles. As such, I'm a little critical of the variety of Glad Day: where's the Michelle Tea? Why is there only one Eileen Myles title? Why is there still such a dedication to dusty 90s gay and lesbian fiction? The selective variety dates this place, a bit. On the other hand, I think the cafe/bar/venue/bookstore set up is perfect. I'm so jealous to not have an equivalent at home. After visiting the space twice; once for breakfast, another for a drink/book signing event, I can see how important this space is for the community. It was so refreshing to see a wide variety of demographics in this space. Given the gregarious, warm, and sometimes silly demeanour of staff I'm no surprised that this place is popular. Last small gripe: both me and my partner's breakfasts were notably undercooked. I appreciate the variety of vegan options and the accessible prices but ya'll need to pay better attention to your cooking! Definitely visit Glad Day for an event and a beer- they're the sweetest! read more

Glad Day Bookshop - The cutest little salt shaker vase - Bookstores Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Wife & I were under the impression that this shop would be bigger, with a bigger selection. It was underwhelming, much smaller than I thought it would be. Word to the wise: don't travel 2.5 hours here just to scope it out. Your local-locally-owned bookstore probably has many of the titles on Glad Day's shelves. If you're in the area though, it's worth a visit, especially if you're on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, as we are. It's great to find diverse little nooks of safety and similarity anywhere we travel to. read more

Coffee was very good (flat white). Truthfully I'd give 3.5, this stretch of church st is struggling with vacancy, so good to see occupants. The exterior and interior struggle with BLAH lighting, signage. Feels dark inside, a nice seating area. Great long bar top, needs better stools. Hopefully in its infancy it will develop with time. read more

The show itself is a lot of fun but the food was truly awful. It arrived cold and the bacon was dripping with grease and almost inedible. I realize that people don't go for the food, but breakfast food hardly requires Michelin quality chefs. Do better, Glad Day. read more

Glad Day is that bookstore upstairs on Yonge near Wellesley, with the pink neon sign. From the outside it has the air of a seedy porn palace, which considering the neighbourhood, one might expect. It's actually a very cool little bookstore with all sorts of gay interest books, calenders and magazines. Their selection is extensive and comparable to the Toronto Women's Bookstore or This Ain't the Rosedale Library. The staff has always been friendly and helpful. Glad Day Bookshop is a pioneer in the fight for anti-censorship and gay rights in Toronto. They had a lot of legal problems, while hetero bookstores were left alone, but they are still open. And they sell poppers! read more

Glad Day has been a touchstone for me ever since I first visited in Toronto. One of the few explicitly GLBT-themed bookstores left in North America, the bookshop has a vast selection of books both new and rare and a knowledgeable, helpful staff. I come by the place on a regular basis looking for new literature at affordable prices. The bookstore almost closed earlier this year, a fate averted when it was bought by a pool of several dozen community investors who wanted to relaunch the bookstore as a community hub. So far, things seem to be going well: I attended a play reading on the bookstore's upper level, a spacious gallery with a great view of Yonge Street that rents out for $20 an hour. read more

I like the new space for Glad Day bookshop. I was there the very end of December and it's transitioned into a ground floor bookstore meets coffee shop. I haven't been in to see if they serve lunch but I will be back to check. (It's the former Byzantium space). The service was excellent, the tea I had was aromatic and interesting. I'm excited to see what this place turns into, it's got a solid vibe going on. It has a wheelchair accessible washroom (unlike pretty much anything else on church street or close by). It serves booze! read more

Make sure to visit Glad Day at Pride at night. It turns into a wicked club with awesome music. Soca/Reggae/HipHop &Top 40. The crowd was LIVE and the bartenders were great. Very friendly environment. Definitely going back for Pride 2019. read more

Glad Day Bookshop - It was epic! #GladDay #Pride‍ - Bookstores Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

One of a kind bookstore with materials that can't be found elsewhere. Kind staff, comfy atmosphere with coffee, tea, a bar, and plenty of seating. The events held after hours are interesting too. read more

Glad Day Bookshop - People are coming in for their queer horror - Bookstores Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great atmosphere, friendly staff and had beer, food and coffee! What more could I ask for? I've heard there's a few awesome events there I'll need to check out as well! read more

I am so happy this place was able to find a second life on Church street and a new business model. The one time I went for lunch the waiter told me, "the chef is not here yet." I was amused by the candor of the server , and loved the laid back nature of the operation, but I wont be back for lunch, Night time there seems to be clubby...walk by it most eves. Good vibe for a chunk of the population - not for everybody! read more

Awesome fun queer bookstore with lots of books. When we came in, a special event for a literary festival was going on (a queer literature and prose reading.) It was lots of fun and really powerful in points! Would definitely recommend!! read more

Arrived about 5 minutes after my two friends. Had coffee and water almost immediately. Ordered my food and waited. My friends received their food and I waited. They finished their meal and the server took their stuff away and I waited. Eventually I was offered a plate I hadn't ordered and politely explained this was not what I'd ordered. And then I waited another 25 minutes and left. It's now been 20 MORE minutes and my friends (who stayed, having finished their food and were enjoying the drag performance) tell me that my food still hasn't shown up. I won't be going back there again. read more

Went for brunch. Loads of fun! Food was really tasty and the staff was really great :) Not to mention the performances.

this place is great it use to be above a store on yonge street but now they are where byzantium use to be and way more lively keep up the good work guyz ;) read more

I've been buying books at this store since the late 70's. It has a fantastic selection of GBLT material and more. This store is an icon and we need to continue to support this valuable part of our heritage. It's hard enough for booksellers to survive the online world as it is, much less such an important store as Glad Day. Support your independent businesses!!! read more

Amazing store and incredibly knowledgeable staff. I described to her what kind of book I was looking for and who the recipient was and she was able to choose five books and explain each one of them in detail to allow me to make a quick and easy decision! One of a kind place. read more

i was just there last night, with some friend and most of the people there because we had fundraising for forte choir.and also birthdays. and the bar tender is so rude to me when i was ordering so many orders, i guest they did not realized that they work for tips. and i finished that order drinks i tried to order another one for my self and my friend and the guy said he cant give me anyone drinks because i was sweating already and stumbling every where, for that gave me water instead with no alcohol but still took my money , i never had such a bad service in my life if you see that Asian guy that work there you better watch out. i was sweating because i was dancing and also it was so hot inside the bar because the heater is still on.. you didn't know about that place , that restaurant before that place, it closed because there was infestation of bugs and rats drop in. so if i were you i will consider what you eat there.. now we are not going there from now one .. read more