Under the Umbrella isn’t your average bookstore, said owner Kaitlyn Mahoney.
"Every single book in this store is either written by a queer person or has queer characters, discusses other topics through a queer lens," she said.
Mahoney saw the need for a "queer little bookstore" in Salt Lake City.
“I’m making connections about myself and my past and who I am that I never thought about before," she said. "And it was because of books.”
Oct. 11 is National Coming Out Day — a day to celebrate the courage it takes to "come out" and identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and anywhere in between.
Only being open for less than a year now, Mahoney already feels the difference her store is making in the LGBTQ+ community.
“I can’t tell you how many times someone has come in here and just been overwhelmed by the fact that they are surrounded by rainbows and by love and positivity towards their identity," she said
Under the Umbrella isn't just a store where you can buy books; Mahoney wanted to create a safe place where queer people can come together.
“It is more of a community space," said Liz Pitts, the president and CEO of the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce. "Not simply just a place to go buy a thing, but a place to come be in a queer space.”
From a free gender-affirming closet to yoga classes, Pitts said there’s no place like Under the Umbrella anywhere in Utah.
“How exciting and wonderful to create an amazing queer space and small business," said Pitts. "But also how courageous to open an independent bookstore.”
Despite incredible community support, Mahoney says it’s still hard to make money.
“Trans and queer people have higher rates of unemployment, lower wages, higher rates of homelessness," she said. "We are not necessarily the most well-off group of people who can spend their money on books.”
On days like today, Mahoney is reminded of just how important her store is.
“Coming Out Day is like, this amazing way to celebrate that we exist," she said. "It’s OK if you’re not out, it’s OK if you can’t come out, if you’re not ready to, if it’s not safe for you to — that’s OK too, and if and when you are ready, we’re going to be here for you.”
