![]() The hurt they felt over the possible loss of an inclusive gathering place and a bright spot in a bookstore desert - that was undeniably real. Whatever the case, the result for Sherman-Nurick, her staff and her customers was the same. (One other tenant has so far been forced out.) Cellar Door was granted an extension of two months. Earlier events had been interrupted by cross-wielding protesters and far-right groups.Ĭanyon Crest responded with a press release denying the move was “politically, racially, or otherwise motivated,” instead citing the death of the center’s developer, Mark Thompson, which had led to a new strategic plan that required moving some tenants out and repurposing their space. A drag queen hour had taken place just two days before the notice of termination. Sherman-Nurick and many of her supporters suspected the store’s drag events might have played a role in the Canyon Crest eviction. Yet, story hours, where drag queens read to kids, have become a point of controversy and even violence. World & Nation How drag queen story hour became a battle over gender, sexuality and kidsĭrag queens are more mainstream than ever, as are LGBTQ rights. Cellar Door’s owner, Linda Sherman-Nurick, received notice in January from the shopping center’s management that her month-to-month lease would terminate on February 28. While protests against drag shows have escalated over the last year, drawing national headlines and even a statewide ban, this small blue-state bookshop was facing a fight of its own. If you pulled up into the lot that day, the first thing you would spot, even before the storefront, was a pair of pride flags - rainbow and trans-affirming blue, pink and white, rippling in a breeze carrying the faint sound of cheers.Ĭellar Door wasn’t just celebrating the national indie bookshop holiday - it was holding its final drag queen story hour at the Canyon Crest Towne Centre, a location it had occupied since its founding 11 years ago. ![]() If you happened to be in Riverside on April 29, there was only one place you could go to properly celebrate National Independent Bookstore Day: Cellar Door, the sole indie bookstore in the Inland Empire selling new titles for children and adults.
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