Androgyny in the Village

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by Matthew Hays

It's now official: after weeks of negotiation, L'Androgyne owner France Desilets has confirmed she's sold the gay and lesbian bookstore to Priape, the gay shop specializing in menswear. Desilets will continue in a managerial position at the store, and wants to reassure loyal L'Androgyne clientele that the change of hands will mean business as usual, "except that we might actually have more stuff now," she says.

The downside? Desilets confirms the Priape management intends to move the business in coming months from its longtime popular spot on St-Laurent to a venue near Priape in Montreal's gay district, the Village. Though the move might seem to make some business sense, the idea that yet another gay-owned and -operated business will relocate to the Village only adds to the feeling that too much of the city's gay life has been segregated to that 'hood.

"I know exactly what you're saying," says Desilets. "But St-Laurent is changing rapidly. Our taxes here went up 30 per cent in the last year. Our lease is up for renegotiation and there would definitely be an increase were we to stay. In terms of affordability, the move to the Village is necessary. We've been priced out of the street."

L'Androgyne was established in '75 and, as well as selling a wide variety of gay- and lesbian-related books and magazines, has also hosted numerous book launches for local and visiting queer authors.