"I've been told that nothing queer would ever work below 2100 S. in Salt Lake City," said drag artist Tara Lipsyncki, who is opening a bookstore, cafe, and event space called Mosaics in Provo, Utah, this month. "I kind of said: hold my beer, watch me do it."
Slated to open the week of October 23, Mosaics will be a queer community space that is safe and accessible for all. The entire location, Lipsyncki reported, is about 3,000 square feet, with the bookstore encompassing about 1,200 sq. ft. and the event space spanning 1,000 sq. ft. The remaining area will be used for the cafe, which she hopes to have open by next spring.
In the bookstore side of the business, Mosaics will carry all-new titles at opening, and Lipsyncki hopes to make use of the partnerships she's formed with Salt Lake City indies King's English Bookshop, the Legendarium, and Under the Umbrella by having them curate specific sections and shelves on a consignment basis.
The arrangement gives those bookstores an opportunity to expand their brands and customer bases outside of Salt Lake City proper, but also makes things easier for Lipsyncki by being able to rely on their proven strengths. "Why should I guess?" she said. "Why not let them be the experts?"
 |
|
|
Tara Lipsyncki |
|
Bringing in other businesses, she added, also ties into the theme of the store being a mosaic--distinct parts combining into a beautiful whole.
Lipsyncki described the event space as a "Russian nesting doll" within the larger store. She has placed a major emphasis on making it "very secure and safe," and the renovations to the building have included additional safety exits, a fire suppression system, and a new security system.
Her event plans include queer-centric events like drag performances as well as live acoustic bands, author events, children's storytime sessions, and, thanks to Lipsyncki's husband, even Magic the Gathering nights. In addition to drag queen storytimes, Lipsyncki will partner with groups that do Disney Princess storytimes, and she hopes to "really get kids in the community excited about books."
Mosaics will also carry a wide variety of nonbook products. There will be a games section curated by a local game store, and a small food market anchored by Sweet Hazel & Co., a lesbian-owned vegan bakery based in Salt Lake City. Beyond that, Lipsyncki remarked that she's always dreamed of having a "little corner shop," and for that she has in mind a sort of "gay, queer-centric Hot Topic," with plenty of items related to pop culture. Though Mosaics will carry a "little bit of everything," the books "will be the driver."
Recently, a drag storytime event with Lipsyncki at the King's English was canceled due to a bomb threat, and when asked about security, Lipsyncki said it was never far from her mind. She has no problem hiring additional security if she feels it necessary and, in her experience, she's found that having a security person present does not deter the comfort of the space. The "unfortunate reality" is that many of her events already have armed security.
"This is the world we live in," Lipsyncki said. "We have to take all the precautions. We have to think of every possibility."
Lipsyncki has been working to create a community safe space for three years, and though many of the details have changed over time, having an event/performance space was always an integral part of her plan. Opening a bookstore and cafe was not actually the goal from the beginning, but it all came together very quickly after she visited a space in Provo that immediately felt like "home."
What was needed, Lipsyncki said, was a queer safe space that wasn't a 21-plus bar, that didn't close on Sundays, and didn't shut down at 8 p.m. every night. Nothing like that existed in Provo, and she realized that a bookstore/cafe that also held events could fill that need perfectly. When the cafe eventually opens, Lipsyncki plans to keep Mosaics open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
"This community needs resources," Lipsyncki said, pointing out that crises can happen "all the time." With Mosaics, she hopes to take the comfort and safety found in books and "make it a physical safe space." --Alex Mutter