Outwrite Bookstore and Coffeehouse -- Serving the South's Gay and Lesbian Community Books, Coffee, and More

The decade-old Outwrite Bookstore moved from a small space in a midtown shopping center to an old disco in the center of a gentrified, historically gay and lesbian neighborhood in Atlanta. The store doubled its size, to 3,000-square-feet, and created a vibrant place to gather, drink coffee, and buy books and gifts -- from morning until late at night. Founder and owner Philip Rafshoon told BTW that in 1993 Atlanta was the largest city in the country without a gay/lesbian bookstore and he, among many others, wanted to remedy that. Now a center of a popular neighborhood that has "grown up around us," Rafshoon sees the store as filling many needs -- a meeting place for a broad community cross-section, a performance space, and an active yet relaxed environment for people to explore "the South's source for information on our lives."

Outwrite Bookstore and Coffeehouse, open from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. every day of the week, is a favorite place to be at all times.

Rafshoon and a staff of 12 put a premium on customer service. "Every customer is greeted at the door and attended to. We're very excited about the look and the feel of the store. We offer an upbeat and secure environment for everyone coming in. We're part of the fabric of the city."

Outwrite was founded as a store offering inventory primarily by or about lesbians and gay people. Although it continues to offer an exhaustive selection of gay and lesbian-themed and authored books, movies, and music, Outwrite has responded to customer demands for a broader inventory. According to inventory manager Dennis Bowers, "Our customers are interested in much more than products specifically for a gay or lesbian market. They want to purchase more things from us. Our product mix now includes about 40 percent of materials not specifically for gay or lesbian buyers. Book Sense 76 has become very valuable in helping us order fiction: Books that are interesting -- that may not have specific gay and lesbian content but are good literature."

As a BookSense.com store, Outwrite has created a visible, well-trafficked site. "Our site is a great marketing tool," Rafshoon emphasized. "People love looking at the site. A store has to have a Web presence -- we use it as a front door, bringing customers in. Every bookstore has to have a dynamic Web site and that's what BookSense.com does for us. The potential is so great."

Rafshoon acknowledges that having four chain stores within a mile of the store "keeps him up some nights…. But those chains don't do what we do. No one else around does. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. We offer great events -- live music performances, art openings, author appearances like David Sedaris [October 15] and Dorothy Allison [October 28]. On November 3, some of the firemen from the Hotlanta Firemen Calendar will be signing the calendar at the store."

Rafshoon concludes that during lean economic times customers need to be assured that they are getting value in all their purchases. "We have to think smarter, streamline everything and do our jobs simpler. Starting next week, we'll take 10 percent off the top ten sellers in five categories -- men's books, women's books, books for everyone, CDs, and DVDs. Our customers are looking for value and this is a way we can provide it."

Rafshoon has been gratified by the positive response of customers and the store's evolution into an integral part of the community. He's willing to adapt to new conditions by trying different approaches. "You ask me what has changed about bookselling since 1993," he comments, "What hasn't changed?" --Nomi Schwartz