The Bookshop Darlinghurst to close

The Bookshop Darlinghurst in Sydney will close down on Christmas Eve 2025.

Owner Charles Gregory said the closure was due to ‘repeated delays’ in the redevelopment of Oxford & Foley by Toga, where the shop was preparing to relocate, which led to the shop missing out on peak trading periods and having to rent supplemental space.

‘Rather than attempt to wait it out for what will be an expensive fit-out in a delayed development whose opening date is now, ultimately, unknowable, I have made the very difficult decision to close,’ he said in a statement on Facebook.

The Bookshop Darlinghurst was founded in 1982 on Oxford Street in Sydney by Les McDonald and Wayne Harrison, where it has been a comprehensive source of books and materials for LGBTIA+ communities. Gregory, who first worked at the bookshop as a student 20 years ago, took over as owner of the shop in 2024.

‘The Bookshop Darlinghurst has been more than a store. It has been a meeting place, a refuge, and a beacon for queer literature for more than four decades. I am truly sorry I was not able to carry on this legacy. I invite everyone who has loved this space – or who has yet to discover it – to visit before we close the doors,’ said Gregory.

Category: Local news