The Beautiful Idea — Local services in Charlottesville

Incredible store with a fantastic curation of queer literature and art by local queer artists. I was greeted immediately by the super friendly owner, and I felt incredibly safe in the store, which is something I don’t find often as I struggle in social settings. This place is unlike anywhere I’ve been and I’m sad I don’t live close by so I can visit often. All of the signage out front instantly put a smile on my face. There were period & Covid stations with free supplies, information for a food pantry, how to borrow things like tools, and more incredible resources. I’m not sure if I loved the items in the store more, or the welcoming & safe feeling the store and the owner provided. Without a doubt, my new favorite store. A TRUE gem, in a world where we need so many places like this for the LGBTQ+ community. THANK YOU FOR EXISTING!!!!! If you’re in Virginia or passing through the Blue Ridge Mountains, go support this...

I love this store and the concept of it. They have beautiful art, public bathrooms, free period products, a wonderful book selection, and a comfortable space to relax. As a trans man from Williamsburg my partner and I always love visiting the place as we have nothing in our town like this. However, the last few times we've been it's felt a bit unwelcome. We walk in and aren't greeted by anyone, we say hi and the most we get is a grunt or dejected hello. It makes the experience way less enjoyable when it seems the people behind the counter are miserable to be there and can't wait for us to leave. I will still be back next time I'm in Charlottesville, but it was a very...

Such a welcoming, funky, and creative place. I was so pleased with their book selection, since I didn’t realize this was also a bookstore (as an opportunist pedestrian meandering around the Mall). Truly a lovely, inclusive space, full of amazing art and beautiful ideas 😉

They also offer community resources, so be sure to stop by if you or someone you know are in need of anything from contact information to period products. And if you’re an audiobook listener like me, support them on Libro.fm!! It’s so much better to support your local indie bookstore than huge corporations. 🌈 just check them...