Philly AIDS Thrift at Giovanni's Room
A Philadelphia nonprofit thrift and LGBTQ bookstore operating in the historic Giovanni's Room location and supporting AIDS-related services.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Philly AIDS Thrift at Giovanni's Room is a Philadelphia nonprofit retail operation that combines a secondhand thrift-store model with the continuing LGBTQ literary and cultural mission of Giovanni's Room, one of the United States' earliest LGBTQ bookstores. The business occupies the historic storefront at 345 South 12th Street, at the corner of South 12th and Pine Streets in Philadelphia's Gayborhood. Its present identity emerged after Philly AIDS Thrift, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005, took over the bookstore in 2014 following the retirement of longtime proprietor Ed Hermance. The predecessor bookstore, Giovanni's Room, was established in August 1973 by Gay Activist Alliance members Tom Wilson Weinberg, Dan Sherbo, and Bern Boyle. It was named after James Baldwin's novel Giovanni's Room and began with a small selection of approximately 100 titles. The store was created during a period when LGBTQ books were difficult to find through mainstream retail channels, making specialist bookstores important places for literature, information, community formation, and political expression. Giovanni's Room is generally described as the second LGBTQ bookstore established in the United States. Ownership and direction changed during the store's early years. Lesbian activist and artist Pat Hill acquired the business in 1975 and broadened its selection to include lesbian and feminist writing. In 1976, Hill transferred ownership to Ed Hermance and Arleen Olshan. The partners moved the store from its original South Street premises to 1426 Spruce Street and then, in 1979, to the South 12th Street location that became its long-term home. Olshan left the partnership in 1986. The business expanded well beyond its original collection, eventually carrying extensive gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, feminist, and queer literature, along with biographies, nonfiction, safer-sex materials, and magazines. The building itself adds historical significance. The principal structure dates from 1820, while a second building incorporated into the operation in 1986 dates from the 1880s. In 2011, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission unveiled a marker recognizing the location's importance and identifying Giovanni's Room as the country's first still-operating LGBTQ bookstore at that time. When Hermance announced his retirement in April 2014, Giovanni's Room closed on May 17. Philly AIDS Thrift subsequently reached an agreement to assume ownership and reopened the store on October 10, 2014, in conjunction with Philadelphia's Outfest celebration. The new operator preserved the Giovanni's Room name and bookstore legacy while adding the broader inventory and resale model associated with Philly AIDS Thrift. In addition to queer books, the operation sells donated or secondhand music, artwork, comics, clothing, household goods, and other merchandise. Reference material describes approximately 7,000 books on the shelves and a database of roughly 48,000 queer works available through broader sales channels; these figures are historical descriptions rather than current audited totals. The nonprofit model links retail activity with charitable purposes, particularly support for AIDS services. The store also functions as a community institution: it preserves LGBTQ publishing and bookselling history, provides access to queer literature, and gives donated goods a second life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the operation emphasized e-commerce to continue trading despite disruption to in-person retail. By 2023, reference material reported a substantial increase in sales. The current store therefore sits at the intersection of thrift retail, specialist bookselling, LGBTQ cultural preservation, and community-oriented nonprofit fundraising.
History
Giovanni's Room began in August 1973 when Tom Wilson Weinberg, Dan Sherbo, and Bern Boyle, members of Philadelphia's Gay Activist Alliance, opened a bookstore at 232 South Street. Named after James Baldwin's novel Giovanni's Room, it became the second LGBTQ bookstore in the United States and an important source of queer books during a period when mainstream booksellers rarely carried such material. The store changed ownership in September 1975, when lesbian activist and artist Pat Hill became proprietor. Hill expanded the inventory to include more lesbian and feminist writing, reflecting the breadth of the local community and the bookstore's role as more than a commercial outlet. In 1976, Hill transferred ownership to Ed Hermance and Arleen Olshan. The partners moved the business first to 1426 Spruce Street and then, in 1979, to 345 South 12th Street, at the corner of 12th and Pine Streets in Philadelphia's Gayborhood. Olshan departed in 1986, while Hermance continued to operate the store for decades. Giovanni's Room grew from an initial collection of about 100 titles to a major specialist selection covering gay men, lesbians, bisexual people, transgender people, and feminist subjects. Its categories included biographies, nonfiction, safer-sex books, magazines, and other works addressing LGBTQ life and culture. The store's premises comprise a main building constructed in 1820 and a second structure from the 1880s that became part of the operation in 1986. The site received formal recognition in 2011, when the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission unveiled a historical marker. The bookstore faced the challenge of maintaining a specialized independent retail business as publishing, distribution, and shopping habits changed. In 2009, reporting described the store as needing funds for renovations, reflecting the financial and physical pressures affecting the business. Hermance announced his retirement in April 2014, and Giovanni's Room closed on May 17 of that year. Philly AIDS Thrift, a Philadelphia 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005, then reached an agreement to take over the operation. The store reopened on October 10, 2014, in connection with Philadelphia Outfest, becoming known as Philly AIDS Thrift at Giovanni's Room or PAT @ Giovanni's Room. Under Philly AIDS Thrift's stewardship, the operation retained the bookstore's historic name and queer-literary purpose while adding the nonprofit thrift model. Its merchandise expanded to include donated music, artwork, comics, clothing, household items, and other secondhand goods. Reference descriptions report approximately 7,000 books displayed in the store and a larger database of about 48,000 queer works sold through wider channels, including international transactions. These figures should be treated as historical reference points rather than current inventory claims. The present organization uses retail activity to support AIDS-related services and community work. It also continues Giovanni's Room's cultural function by making queer literature available and maintaining a visible LGBTQ institution in Philadelphia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the store increased its e-commerce activity as a way to continue operating during restrictions on physical shopping. Reference material reports stronger sales by 2023. The institution's history consequently spans activist bookselling, lesbian and feminist publishing access, LGBTQ community commerce, nonprofit thrift retail, and preservation of a landmark Philadelphia cultural space.
- 2014
Philly AIDS Thrift takes over and reopens the bookstore
[1]After Hermance retires and the store closes temporarily, Philly AIDS Thrift becomes the proprietor and reopens the operation as Philly AIDS Thrift at Giovanni's Room.
- 2011
Historical marker is unveiled
[1]The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission recognizes the location's LGBTQ bookselling significance.
- 1986
The second building becomes part of the store
[1]A neighboring historic building dating from the 1880s is incorporated into the bookstore's premises.
- 1979
The bookstore moves to 12th and Pine Streets
[1]Giovanni's Room relocates to 345 South 12th Street, its long-term Philadelphia location.
- 1976
Hermance and Olshan take ownership
[1]Ed Hermance and Arleen Olshan become owners and begin a period of relocation and expansion.
- 1975
Pat Hill becomes proprietor
[1]Lesbian activist and artist Pat Hill takes over the bookstore and broadens its lesbian and feminist offerings.
- 1973
Giovanni's Room opens on South Street
[1]Tom Wilson Weinberg, Dan Sherbo, and Bern Boyle establish Giovanni's Room at 232 South Street in Philadelphia.
E-commerce becomes more important during the pandemic
[1]The store increases online selling to maintain operations while COVID-19 disrupted physical retail.
Products and positioning
A nonprofit, community-oriented thrift retailer and LGBTQ bookseller whose mission combines AIDS-service fundraising, access to queer literature, and preservation of the historic Giovanni's Room cultural institution.
Books · 1973
LGBTQ books
The bookstore's core assortment includes queer fiction, nonfiction, biographies, memoirs, feminist writing, transgender and bisexual topics, safer-sex materials, and LGBTQ cultural history. The collection continues the specialist mission established by Giovanni's Room and includes both used and newer works when available.
Thrift retail · 2014
Secondhand general merchandise
Following Philly AIDS Thrift's takeover, the store expanded beyond books to donated clothing, household goods, music, artwork, comics, magazines, and other resale merchandise. These goods support the nonprofit retail model and broaden the store's appeal beyond specialist bookselling.
E-commerce
Online queer-book inventory
The operation maintains online sales capabilities for queer books and related materials. Historical descriptions refer to a much larger searchable inventory than the physical shelves and note sales to customers and booksellers outside the United States.
Brand decisions
2014
Philly AIDS Thrift assumes operation of Giovanni's RoomM&ABackground
Longtime owner Ed Hermance retired after the bookstore faced the transition associated with his departure.
Action taken
Philly AIDS Thrift reached an agreement to take over the store and reopened it under the combined Philly AIDS Thrift at Giovanni's Room identity.
Aftermath
The transaction preserved the historic bookstore's name and literary mission while adding donated thrift merchandise and a nonprofit fundraising purpose.
- Expansion of e-commerce during COVID-19Strategy
Background
Pandemic conditions reduced or complicated in-person retail operations.
Action taken
The store placed greater emphasis on online sales to continue serving customers and moving inventory.
Aftermath
Reference material indicates that sales later increased, but it does not provide audited financial figures or a quantified comparison.
Sources2 sources
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