Six LGBTQBusinesses Near Me

 

With Pride month underway, it’s a great time to support LGBTQ businesses and the people that run them. From queer-led organizations to business directories that connect customers and entrepreneurs, these six sites are a good place to start.

While Pride may feel like a celebration of the past, it’s also an opportunity to honor the present, and that’s why it’s important to support queer-friendly small businesses year round. From a feminist bookstore and bakery to a gay bouncy house and sex toys shop, these places show that being queer isn’t just okay, it’s really pretty great.

The Brooklyn-made bean-to-bar chocolate brand Dalloway is a favorite of LGBTQIA2S+ customers and has a solid track record when it comes to giving back. The company’s products are sold in NYC’s best foodie stores, including Formaggio Kitchen, Harlem Shambles and Westside Market. The company also donates a percentage of its proceeds to GLAAD.

In addition to their own line of vegan, fair-trade chocolate bars, this queer-owned Brooklyn company specializes in making novel chocolate wedding favours. These chocolate hearts in the shape of bride and groom or flower and butterfly are sure to make any LGBTQ wedding party extra special.

From a bookstore with a mission of “reclaiming scholarship from a queer perspective” to a cultural hub that hosts killer parties and spectacular entertainment, House of Yes is one of the most creative spaces in the city. The site also curates events in other cities and has an impressive archive of artworks that celebrate queer culture.

The worker-owned, LGBT-themed bookshop Bluestockings carries more than just books; they also host overdose LGBTbusinesses near me prevention classes and mutual aid workshops. The shop’s unique ownership structure means that they are able to offer their goods at lower prices and they aren’t afraid to make a joke or two along the way.

Another Brooklyn-based LGBT-owned business is Kirrin Finch, which makes gender-defying clothing. The brand aims to meet a growing demand for clothes that are designed for both female and non-binary bodies. They have a wide range of t-shirts available, from the “Gender Roles are Dead” tie-dye to the Pride/Riot rainbow crop top featured in this article.

If you are a small business owner in the queer community, be sure to check out the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce’s LGBTQ Business Enterprise Supplier Diversity certification program. The program will help you gain access to procurement opportunities with large corporations.

The list of LGBTQ-friendly businesses is only as strong as the community that supports it, and that’s why it’s so important to spread the word about queer-friendly businesses to your friends and family. Let’s all work together to keep the LGBTQIA2S+ business community growing.