5 for Pride: Our Favorite Brooklyn LGTBQ Businesses
Jun 29, 2020
MeMe’s Diner | We love this Prospect Heights retro-modern take on the traditional Brooklyn diner not just for the ambiance (that’s a killer room) but also the playful menu (hello, Everything Bagel Babka). As of this blog, they’re only open for takeout on the weekends but we hope that changes soon.
Babeland | This now-classic women- and LGBTQ-friendly sex-positive shop seems ubiquitous between its two NYC locations and national retail business but that wasn’t always the case. More than 20 years ago, owners Claire Cavanah and Rachel Venning saw a gap in the marketplace and went for it. Their stores are now also community hubs with informative sales staff and customer education and events.
Herstory | Speaking of community hubs, no other archive has more materials available both by and for lesbians and their communities—quite literally. With regular workshops and access to research materials (in non-COVID times), their Park Slope location is invaluable. Fortunately, you can also access a lot of their materials online.
Third Root Community Health Center | Third Root is a Ditmas Park institution at this point with its huge mix of unique and inclusive offerings. Aside from yoga and other classes geared toward the general public, Third Root also offers specific classes and events dedicated to healing and celebrating groups too often marginalized in traditional holistic healing worlds—including people of color, queer, and non-binary folks. We can’t wait for their community acupuncture to come back.
Badlands Salon and Barber Shop | Badlands prides itself of being a welcoming and affirming space for all its customers—and the friendliness of the staff is a testament to that. They also happen to have some of the most talented stylists we’ve ever seen and the whole team is skilled in cutting and styling gender-neutral styles. Until they re-open, we’re satisfying our need for cutting-edge style from their playful Instagram feed.