The last paragraph looms for Antwerp‘s LGBTQIA+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen as no-one was found to succeed Johanna Pas as co-owner and co-manager. The shop will close on the 29th of October 2022. 

“First and foremost: thank you”, Johanna Pas and Ulrike Delbroek write to subscribers of the cooperation. 

“Our appeal for support was an overwhelming success. Nearly two hundred people applied to become cooperative members and bought a share or even a multiple of shares. We also received numerous generous donations.”

Kartonnen Dozen closes definitively

“Despite your support and enthusiasm, it is unfortunately not possible to continue the store in the short term. The announced closure of the store on Saturday 29 October 2022 will therefore be final.” 

In recent months, Johanna and Ulka have intensively searched for a co-acquisitioner to take over the day-to-day operations, but they have not been successful. Unfortunately, it is not feasible to keep the store open without new strength.

“The search was not easy. After all, it is not an employee (employed), but a co-director of the cooperative to be established. It was not possible to immediately offer a fixed salary.”

Candidate cooperatives receive their contribution back

The definitive closure means that the announced cooperative will not be established. 

“We will refund all candidate cooperatives by the end of November at the latest. Thanks again for your commitment. We had hoped to bring better news.”

We transfer donations to a new project that is in the starting blocks or to a project that continues the spirit of what ‘t Verschil and Kartonnen Dozen have always pursued.

Which project that is, isn’t announced.

Everything has to go

Would you like to support us one last time?”, Johanna and Ulka ask. “Then come to our total sale and receive a 50% discount on a large part of our new and all second-hand books.Take advantage of free shipping costs on our webshop from today!”

In the month of October Kartonne Dozen is open from Thursday to Saturday from 12 am to 6 pm. The shop is now now closed on Sundays.

Don’t forget to use up your gift vouchers before the final closing on October 29.

Thank you from Johanna

“Personally, I would like to thank all the people who let me know with cards, messages, and emails what I have meant to them in recent years. That has done me a lot of good.”

“I can’t reply to everyone at the moment, but know that I’ve read what you wrote and I really appreciate you putting it into words. It makes me realize how grateful I am for what I received from you in the years that I worked in ‘t Verschil and in Kartonnen Dozen: warmth, good conversations, interesting encounters, tips and tricks (about books and about life) , friendship. It’s those moments and memories that now help me enjoy what’s left despite my illness”, Johanna says.

Where can you go in the future?

The Holebibib or LGBTQIA Library of Het Roze Huis continues to exist in Antwerp. They have a large collection of LGBTQIA books, both old and recent. You can find them at Draakplaats 2 and you can visit them on Saturday and Sunday between 2 and 4 PM. They also have a reading club and organize readings from time to time.

Since this summer, there is a new bookshop in Ghent that specializes in feminist and queer literature: Rokko, Sint Salvatorstraat 3, Ghent

In Brussels you will find the French language TULITU (tulitu.eu) where you can go for LGBTQIA books.

In Utrecht in the Netherlands, Savannah Bay has been standing for years.

And only online unfortunately, the once historic LGBTQIA store in the center of Amsterdam: Vrolijk on Vrolijk.nu.

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• Borgerhout flies intersex inclusive Rainbow Progress Pride Flag for IDAHOT.