Category IsBooks

The Duffy-Scotts — Bug and Fin, by the shop's own account — opened Category Is Books on Allison Street in Govanhill in September 2018 after renovating the place themselves, having lived in the neighbourhood for a decade: one of only two dedicated LGBTQ+ bookshops in Scotland, and a genuine community anchor rather than a niche. A pay-it-forward scheme lets customers subsidise books for those who can't afford them, redeemable by a discreet code, which tells you the shop's priorities exactly. Govanhill is Glasgow's most densely diverse square mile; the bookshop that serves its queer community is doing civic work under the guise of retail.