The world's oldest LGBTQ+ bookstore, serving literature, community, and cocktails in Toronto's Village.
Glad Day Bookshop is a historic LGBTQ+ community hub located in Toronto's Church Street Village, offering a curated selection of queer literature, children's books, zines, artwork, and pride merchandise. As the world's oldest queer bookstore, it provides a welcoming atmosphere with a cafe and bar serving delicious cocktails, brunch, and non-alcoholic options. The space hosts vibrant events like drag brunches, making it a dynamic venue for celebration and connection.
499 Church St, Toronto, ON M4Y 2C6, Canada
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Curated selection of LGBTQ+ books, zines, art, pins, flags, and pride-related items.
Weekly drag brunches and community events featuring performances, food, and drinks in a lively atmosphere.
Serving delicious cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, and food options, including scones and brunch dishes.
Accessible venue for gatherings, workshops, and social events, fostering inclusivity and connection.
Rental and planning services for private parties, book launches, and cultural celebrations.
Overall rating
Rom Nik
DRAG BRUNCH SUNDAYS! AWESOME We came here in April for some beverage and we ended up loving this place. They make delicious cocktails! I was very impressed. Of course, hats off to the bartenders and their colorful and awesome personality. Thank you for that Gaycation cocktail. Delish! I will be back here more often.
Janine Hogg
Just attended Drag Brunch with Selena Vyle and Ella Mayo and on top of Selena and Ella performing like absolute stars, the staff at Glad Day knocked it outta the park the entire event. Not only was it super well-organized when it came to taking food and drink orders, but the set up was not cramped, the scones were super yum and all staff were incredibly kind and welcoming. If you’ve never experienced a well-run drag brunch, it’s time to hit up Glad Day!
Farid Hamka
A wonderful community space with a lovely curation of books (albeit limited) and pride related paraphrenalia. It is also the oldest queer bookshop in the world. Patrons are diverse and colourful. I didn’t feel too welcome by the staff on the day though, which slightly marred my experience of the place but perhaps they have not had a great day or it was too hot. Definitely support this important bookstore.
Cas Ward
Beautiful historic gem in the village. Oldest LGBTQ+ bookstore. Went here for a drag brunch, lots of options available for dietary restrictions and non-alcoholic drink options. Very friendly and helpful staff. The atmosphere here feels very welcoming and upbeat. Great selection of Queer literature (especially children’s books!) as well as enamel pins, patches, stickers, flags and more. There’s lots of events here, and the bookstores Instagram will often update on them. There is also a physical calendar of events inside the doors of the bookstore for reference.
Victoria B
Glad day bookshop is wonderful! Staff are lovely and very kind! They have covid protocols in place for masking and safety! There is a large selection of various books and they also have zines, and various artwork, buttons and different products to buy!! The front entrance is accessible and the bathrooms are on the main floor, also accessible! They also host many events here so you should definitely check it out!
