Virginia
An inclusive romance bookstore blossoms in Old Town after fire
Friends to Lovers celebrates diverse storytelling
Last fall, something revolutionary started in Old Town Alexandria.
It has nothing to do with the cobblestone streets that date to the 1790s, nor the tavern where George Washington raised a birthday pint.
Instead, this revolution arrived with sapphic love stories, Black historical magic fiction, and a declaration founded on providing a space for all things romance novels. Friends to Lovers bookstore (301 Cameron St., Alexandria, Va.) the first bookstore of its kind in the DMV area, opened its doors less than a year ago. But based on the number of people flocking to the store—combined with its more than 30,000 social media followers—it is clear founding fathers are not the only noteworthy thing to come from Old Town.
Jamie Fortin, the store’s owner and founder, sat down with the Washington Blade just in time for National Book Lovers Day (Aug. 9) to discuss how an idea for her “niche” interest and passion for more diverse storytelling became a social media sensation and a newly welcome fixture in Alexandria’s sapphic and literary scenes.
“I realized if I wanted to open a business in this area—there are so many beautiful and unique businesses around here—that I wanted something that I was really invested in personally, and also something that I didn’t really see anywhere else,” Fortin said. “And once I thought of a romance bookstore, I was like, ‘OK, this is it.’”
Once she decided on a romance bookstore, Fortin said that she could hear the judgment from folks who ‘didn’t get’ the importance of creating such a space.
“We could have 100 sports bars in D.C. and no one bats an eye—but not everyone likes sports… Yet the second you create a space for women or queer people, suddenly it’s ‘too niche.’ Why is that? A lot of people had no idea that they would never actually be the intended customers, and it’s been interesting to watch those same people be like, ‘Oh, wow, what a good idea,’ now that it’s actually successful.”
And so Fortin and her team got to work. They found the perfect spot to open her dream bookstore—on the second story of a building surrounded by other small local businesses in the heart of Old Town. She consulted with a branding company to make sure the theme and feeling of the store were cohesive. She researched what romance books were doing online and started to stock her shelves.
“I think a lot of romance bookstores in the U.S. that have been popping up are really focused on uplifting marginalized communities,” Fortin explained, describing some of the inspiration to open the genre-specific bookstore. “I’m a woman, I’m also a queer person—these are the kinds of spaces that I’m really looking to create for folks. Not really seeing something like this, that is specifically intended to celebrate women’s joy and queer joy, is something I wanted to create.”
And create that space she did. After months of planning, strategic social media posts, and collaborating with other LGBTQ and women artists, it was finally time to open the bookstore’s doors in November of 2024.
Three days after its grand opening, a fire broke out, damaging the store and its books.
So Fortin utilized the same social media sites she had days and months earlier used to find which books she would sell in her store—Instagram and TikTok—but this time to post pictures of the damage the fire had caused and to ask for any financial help anyone could spare.
Her posts about the store made their way onto “#BookTok,” a subcommunity on TikTok with more than 100 billion videos about books, literature, and all things bibliophile.
“We posted on TikTok, and got 300,000 views,” she said. “And then raised $46,000 in a week just from the reach [of the social media videos]. A lot of it was local, but most of it was people who had never been in the store, or heard of it, but they just loved the concept and thought that this was something that our community needed.”
With such a clear sign from people all over the country—and the world—supporting her store’s mission to foster a safe, joyful space to discover romance novels, Fortin forged ahead.
“It really gave me a lot of hope that people are just nice and kind as part of it, but also made me feel a lot more connected to our mission—because people didn’t know me; they’re not giving money to Jamie, the girl who lives in Alexandria. They’re giving money to Jamie the girl, creating this safe space for these communities and creating a real community zone to celebrate these things.”
She got back to work, finding the perfect location one block away from the famous King Street in Old Town (complete with tremendous foot traffic). Fortin emphasized that the kindness from other LGBTQ people and women when recovering from the fire was a source of inspiration for her while finding her footing. She met with local women-owned businesses to select perfect pieces of furniture for the new space and hired a local artist to paint a new sign to hang outside the store.
With the new space decorated with pink walls, Pride flags, and art by women and LGBTQ artists, Friends to Lovers reopened once again.
This August, Fortin and her team are gearing up for a weekend-long celebration in honor of National Book Lovers Day and the broader Romance Bookstore Weekend — just in time for Alexandria’s annual Sidewalk Sale.
“We have Jenna Voris coming in on the ninth,” said Fortin. “We’re kind of celebrating it through the whole weekend… We’ll also have three or four authors in on Saturday and Sunday—different authors both days—to sign their books and talk about what they’re selling. A few vendors are coming in too, some of our favorites we’ve worked with before—selling cute little goodies, maybe ceramics… I honestly don’t know which ones yet, but lots of vendors.”
“I think we have always stayed true to our mission, but I think it makes us feel a lot more empowered to act out that mission, because we know that there are so many people that want it,” she said. “I really learned from that whole experience. The business community is beautiful here, and it really intends to uplift and support each other.”
That appreciation for social media’s role in keeping the bookstore alive at a time when nearly everything can be accessed online was not lost on her.
“I feel really grateful that through TikTok and Instagram, we have found our audience,” Fortin said. “So the people who come in 90% of the time know what they’re looking for, know what to expect. And they’re like, ‘Yeah, we’re coming here for this.’”
When asked what’s something about romance novels that some people might not understand, Fortin was ready with an answer: that there are diverse voices if you look.
“Even now, the default you’re going to be fed—books, media, everything—is straight and white,” she said. “You have to go out of your way to find diverse stories, but they’re out there. Desi women write incredible romance. Queer white readers can read outside their experience—it’s not that hard, I promise.”
Recently, one of Friends to Lovers’ staff witnessed firsthand what these dedicated “niche” spaces can do.
“One of our booksellers tells this story of a group of Midwestern kids that came in. And it makes all of us cry every time we share this, because they came in and they were like, ‘I’ve never seen a space like this!’ They could see it was Pride month—we have all the flags up—and they’re like, ‘We’ve never had a space where we can feel welcome and seen.’ And ‘if we talk to the staff here, I can say I want to read ‘XYZ book’ and they won’t judge me. Or I can show that I’m attracted to this person!’ It was such a powerful space for them. And I think, having them be able to leave their homes and now know these places exist, and that people who support them are around.”
“I think it’s really powerful finding people who are going to be safe for you and that are going to love and support you no matter what,” Fortin said.
Virginia
Doug Ollivant to face Eugene Vindman in Va. 7th Congressional District
Republican defeated challengers in Tuesday’s primary
Republican Doug Ollivant will face off against incumbent U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
Ollivant defeated his Republican opponents in Tuesday’s primary. Vindman ran unopposed.
Vindman in 2024 ran to succeed then-Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger in the U.S. House of Representatives after she ran for governor. Spanberger succeeded Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2025.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Tuesday easily won his primary. All other Democratic incumbent members of Congress from Northern Virginia also won their respective primaries.
Virginia
Winsome Earle-Sears launches campaign against Va. marriage equality amendment
Former LG lost to Abigail Spanberger in 2025 gubernatorial race
Less than a year after losing Virginia’s gubernatorial race, former Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is campaigning across the state against constitutional amendments that would protect marriage equality and reproductive freedom.
She is launching a statewide “Life and Marriage Tour” ahead of November’s election.
Although same-sex couples can legally marry under the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, Virginia’s constitution still contains language that defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Supporters say removing the language would protect marriage equality should federal precedent change.
The original ban was written into the state constitution in 2006.
It has been hinted at in the past by Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas that he would consider revisiting Obergefell v. Hodges regarding contraception and marriage rights for same-sex couples. He stated this in his concurring opinion regarding the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling, which allows for state-level abortion bans.
Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman said removing the ban would bring the state’s constitution in line with existing law.
“20 years after banning marriage equality, it’s time for our commonwealth to fully complete our evolution — and finish the job on protecting marriage equality for all,” Rahaman said.
In an email to supporters, Earle-Sears said these amendments “raise serious concerns” and could alter principles about which Virginians care.
“That is why our efforts are focused not only on informing voters, but also encouraging them to carefully consider these proposals and vote NO on both amendments,” Earle-Sears said.
Virginia voters will consider three constitutional amendments this November.
Earle-Sears is campaigning for voters to reject two of them: the Virginia Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment and the Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment.
A “Yes” vote on the Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment would include removing a provision that states marriage is between one man and one woman and prohibitng the state from denying a marriage license to two adults based on their sex, gender, or race, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
In 2025, during debates against now Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Earle-Sears argued it is not discrimination to think that gay people should not be allowed to marry. She claims it conflicts with her faith.
According to ABC 8, in 2024 she wrote that she had a “moral opposition” to marriage equality, after former Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, signed a marriage equality bill that barred denying marriage licenses based on sex, gender, or race.
According to the Virginia Department of Elections, a “Yes” vote on the Reproductive Freedom amendment supports adding a section to the state constitution that would give Virginians the right to make and carry out decisions regarding reproductive healthcare, except in specific exemptions.
The Virginia Department of Elections wrote that if accepted, the amendment would allow the state government to pass laws to regulate abortion care in the third trimester of pregnancy, but require abortion care when it is medically needed to protect the life and health of the pregnant person or because the fetus is not viable.
During the 2025 election cycle, Earle-Sears was clear on her anti-abortion stance.
According to the Virginia Independent, she utilized campaign funds to donate to the Family Foundation of Virginia. The group is a faith-based, anti-abortion, and anti-in vitro fertilization non-profit.
The “Life and Marriage Tour” will include traveling throughout Virginia to speak with citizens, churches, community organizations, and local leaders. The exact locations have yet to be announced.
Virginia
LGBTQ community center opens in Leesburg, Va.
Equality Loudoun holds ribbon-cutting ceremony at new space
A group of supporters crowded inside of the new Equality Loudoun Community Center in Leesburg, Va. on Saturday for an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Air quality issues stemming from the wildfires in Canada required the ceremony to be held indoors. Local elected officials were joined by LGBTQ community organizers and supporters to mark the occasion.
The Virginia LGBTQ organization Equality Loudoun was founded in 2003 and organized the first Loudoun Pride Festival in 2022. The Equality Loudoun Community Center, located in the Village at Leesburg shopping area (1507 Dodona Terrace SE, Suite 105, Leesburg, Va.), will now house the organization’s community and youth programming.
“This is a day that we have anticipated for some time,” said Sean Murphy, Equality Loudoun vice president. “Equality Loudoun was founded in 2003 and has been migrating from place to place to wherever will have us to host our meetings, to host our gatherings. We are so grateful to our many, many allies that have provided space for us.”
Murphy continued, “We really have believed for a long time that it’s important for us to have a home, a place to anchor the community, a place for people to feel belonging, and a place for people to find one another, and find people who are like them and have something in common.”
Attendees of the ceremony included Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk, Leesburg Vice Mayor Todd Cimino-Johnson, Leesburg District Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, and U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.).
“I wish that there was a place like this when I was teaching,” Mayor Burk, a retired Loudoun County Public Schools special education teacher, told the crowd. “So often, I’d have a student, and there was nowhere to send them. They were looking around, trying to see: ‘who’s like me, where can I go, where can I relate, what is happening?’ Middle school is terrible for everybody. But it’s especially terrible if you’re different. And so, I congratulate you on the fact that you had the initiative to do this, the guts to continue it, and the tenacity to make it happen.”
Programming at the LGBTQ community center will include youth programming, game nights and support groups, according to Equality Loudoun Executive Director Katie Cash.
Cash told the Blade, “That’s actually a new thing that we’re branching into that we received a grant this year for: to focus on youth activities. So we’ll have youth support groups that we’re going to work with the Ryan Bartell organization on. Additionally, we’ll have other peer support groups that are run by organizations that are in the space. We’ll have craft nights, we’ll have activity nights, so it’ll be open for drop-in hours on different days as well. On top of normal programming that we’ve been doing as an organization, which can be a series of different craft [activities], social activities, game nights, movie nights, that we’ve been doing for years. Instead of hunting for locations.”
Equality Loudoun is primarily funded through donations, according to Cash. Those interested in supporting the work of the organization and community center can visit eqloco.org for more information.
When asked about future programming at the center, Cash told the Blade that they are seeking feedback from the community.
“We have all the dreams that we have for the space,” Cash said. “But everything’s built off of what kind of resources, what kind of events does the community want hosted? What will they come out for? What do they care about coming out for, and making sure that happens for them.”
Rep. Subramanyam told the Blade, “I’m just so excited about this community center. Equality Loudoun has been so instrumental to so many people in our community. And for them to finally have this center — and it’s been part of their vision for a long time — just is an incredible experience. So I’m so proud to be a supporter of them and I look forward to the center being a sanctuary and a place for people to turn to for many years to come.”
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