Bed Stuy Bookstore Is Gathering Space for Black Queer Women

"Upon entering Gladys, you are greeted by the familiar smells of fresh books and coffee. These cozy smells are accompanied by decor that centers Black queer culture, like a huge flag adorned with the colors and stripes of the Lesbian Flag and the Transgender Pride Flag perched above a colorful portrait of the late Marsha P. Johnson. And when she's not working her second day job, you're sure to hear the sound of owner Tiffany Dockery asking how you're doing."

"Dockery, 37, grew up in Chicago and moved to Bed Stuy a few years ago while working a tech job at Google. Around a year ago, she left her tech job and had the opportunity to connect more with her community in the neighborhood. This connection inspired her to open Gladys, a safe haven for Black queer women, in an effort to give back to her community."

Gladys Books & Wine is a cozy Bed-Stuy bookstore and coffee shop soon adding a wine lounge and bar, hosting events and readings. The space smells of books and coffee and displays decor centering Black queer culture, including Lesbian and Transgender Pride flags and a portrait of Marsha P. Johnson. Owner Tiffany Dockery, 37, moved from Chicago, left a tech job at Google, and opened Gladys as a safe haven for Black queer women to give back to the neighborhood. Dockery invested her life and retirement savings to open Gladys while continuing to work a second job, aiming to foster deeper in-person connections.

Read at Brownstoner