12 LGBTQ+ Businesses & Organizations to Support in the Bay Area Right Now
Supporting LGBTQ+ businesses isn't just about buying a product or booking a service. It's about investing in spaces that center queer voices, celebrate queer culture, and create opportunities for LGBTQ+ people to thrive. In the Bay Area, we're fortunate to have a vibrant community of queer-owned and queer-affirming businesses that have shaped the culture and history of this region.
From iconic Castro institutions to Oakland drag collectives, from mental health services to bakeries that make the best cookies in the city, these 15 LGBTQ+ businesses and organizations are doing the work. They're creating jobs, building community, and proving that when we support each other, we all win.
Whether you're a Bay Area local or visiting from out of town, these are the spots worth seeking out. Let's celebrate the people and places making the Bay Area a beacon for LGBTQ+ culture and community.
1. Headprint Studio
Let's start with us, because we believe in what we do. Headprint Studio is more than a salon. We're a community-centered space where everyone is welcome, celebrated, and treated with care. Our stylists understand that hair is deeply personal, and we approach every client with respect for their identity, their story, and their vision.
At Headprint Studio, we don't do cookie-cutter cuts or one-size-fits-all color. We listen, we collaborate, and we create styles that feel authentically you. Whether you're looking for a gender-affirming cut, a bold color transformation, or just a trim from someone who gets it, we're here for you. As we discussed in our post on queer-friendly hair salon in SF, finding a stylist who understands your needs can be life-changing.
We have two locations in San Francisco: one in the Castro (4327 18th St) and one in Cow Hollow (2848 Webster St), so no matter where you are in the city, you can find us.
Why we love it: Because we built this space to be inclusive, affirming, and excellent at what we do. Come see us.
2. Florio Cafe & Bar
Florio has been a San Francisco staple for years, and it's deeply woven into the city's queer social scene. This cozy spot on Fillmore Street serves up Italian-inspired comfort food, craft cocktails, and a warm atmosphere that makes you want to linger.
Whether you're grabbing brunch with friends, settling in for a date night dinner, or just stopping by for a glass of wine after work, Florio feels like the kind of place where you can be yourself without explanation. The staff is welcoming, the food is consistently good, and the vibe is effortlessly inclusive.
Why we love it: Florio proves that queer spaces don't have to be loud or flashy to be meaningful. Sometimes the best support looks like a quiet dinner at a place that feels like home.
3. Rosebud Gallery SF
Rosebud Gallery is a queer- and Latine-owned gallery and event space in the Mission that centers LGBTQIA+ artists and community. This is where art, activism, and celebration come together. Rosebud hosts exhibitions, performances, workshops, and events that amplify voices that are often underrepresented in mainstream art spaces.
If you're looking for a place that's actively reshaping what it means to be a gallery in San Francisco, Rosebud is it. They're not just showing art; they're building community and creating space for people to be seen, heard, and valued.
Why we love it: Rosebud reminds us that art is political, personal, and powerful. Supporting spaces like this means supporting the artists who are shaping the culture.
4. Queer LifeSpace
Mental health care is essential, and finding affirming, affordable care as a queer person can be a challenge. Queer LifeSpace addresses that need by offering queer-affirming therapy services and clinical training for mental health professionals.
Their sliding scale fees make therapy accessible to more people, and their commitment to centering LGBTQ+ experiences in their practice means clients don't have to explain or justify their identities in the therapy room. This is care that understands you from the start.
Why we love it: Mental health is foundational to well-being, and Queer LifeSpace is doing the critical work of making affirming care available to the people who need it most.
5. Fabulosa Books
Fabulosa Books is an iconic LGBTQ+ bookstore in the Castro, offering new and used titles that center queer voices, stories, and histories. Walking into Fabulosa feels like stepping into a space that was made for you. The shelves are packed with queer literature, nonfiction, memoirs, and zines that you won't find in mainstream bookstores.
Bookstores like Fabulosa are more than retail spaces. They're cultural hubs, community gathering spots, and archives of queer history. Supporting Fabulosa means supporting the continued existence of spaces where our stories are centered and celebrated.
Why we love it: Books change lives, and queer bookstores like Fabulosa ensure that our stories are never erased or forgotten.
6. Bar 49
Bar 49 is a neighborhood gay bar in the Castro known for its community events, friendly staff, and welcoming vibe. It's the kind of bar where regulars know each other's names, where you can catch a drag show one night and a trivia night the next, and where everyone is treated with respect.
In a city where rising rents and gentrification have closed so many queer spaces, Bar 49 stands strong as a place where the community can gather, celebrate, and connect. It's not trying to be the biggest or the flashiest. It's just trying to be a good bar that serves its community well.
Why we love it: Bar 49 proves that neighborhood bars still matter. They're where friendships are made, where first dates happen, and where community is built one conversation at a time.
7. Double Rainbow Ice Cream
Double Rainbow is a beloved LGBTQ+-owned ice cream brand that was founded in San Francisco in the 1970s. Their ice cream is rich, creamy, and made with quality ingredients, and you can find it in shops and restaurants across the Bay Area.
Supporting Double Rainbow means supporting a queer-owned business that's been part of the fabric of this city for decades. Whether you're grabbing a pint at the grocery store or ordering a scoop at a local cafe, you're supporting a legacy business that's still going strong.
Why we love it: Sometimes supporting LGBTQ+ businesses is as simple (and delicious) as choosing the right ice cream.
8. Oaklash
Oaklash is an Oakland-based nonprofit that produces large-scale drag events and supports Bay Area drag artists. They're not just putting on shows; they're creating opportunities for performers, building community, and proving that drag is art, activism, and joy all rolled into one.
If you've ever been to an Oaklash event, you know the energy is unmatched. These are productions that celebrate the diversity, creativity, and talent of the Bay Area's drag community, and they're accessible to people who might not otherwise have access to drag culture.
Why we love it: Oaklash is proof that when you invest in artists and give them a platform, magic happens. Support them, attend their events, and watch the community thrive.
9. Hot Cookie
Hot Cookie is a queer-owned bakery in the Castro known for its playful branding, cult-favorite cookies, and unapologetically bold personality. The cookies are big, soft, and seriously addictive, and the shop itself is a Castro landmark.
Hot Cookie leans into the fun, irreverent side of queer culture, and that's part of what makes it so beloved. It's a bakery that knows exactly who it is and isn't afraid to show it.
Why we love it: Because sometimes you just need a really good cookie from a place that makes you laugh. Hot Cookie delivers on both counts.
10. Twin Peaks Tavern
Twin Peaks Tavern holds a special place in San Francisco's LGBTQ+ history. It was the first gay bar in the city (and possibly the country) to have clear windows instead of blacked-out ones. That might not sound revolutionary now, but in the 1970s, it was a bold statement of visibility and pride.
Today, Twin Peaks is still going strong as a neighborhood bar where locals gather, tourists stop by to soak in the history, and everyone is welcome. The décor hasn't changed much over the decades, and honestly, that's part of the charm.
Why we love it: Twin Peaks is a living piece of queer history. Supporting it means supporting a space that fought to be seen and continues to serve the community decades later.
11. Cliffs Variety
This historic Castro business has been serving the community since 1936, and it's a beloved institution for a reason.
Cliffs is a general store where you can find everything from hardware to costumes to housewares, and it's deeply woven into the fabric of the neighborhood. It's not explicitly queer-owned, but it's been a longtime ally and supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, and that matters.
Why we love it: Cliffs Variety is proof that allyship and long-term community support make a difference. Plus, it's just a really fun place to browse.
12. LYRIC
LYRIC (Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center) is a nonprofit organization that supports LGBTQ+ youth and young adults with housing, education, leadership programs, and community resources. For over 40 years, LYRIC has been a lifeline for young people who need support, affirmation, and a place to belong.
Supporting LYRIC isn't just about buying a product or visiting a business. It's about investing in the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders, artists, and advocates. It's about making sure that young people have the resources and support they need to thrive.
Why we love it: Because every young person deserves to grow up in a world that affirms and supports them. LYRIC makes that possible.
Why Supporting LGBTQ+ Businesses Matters
When you support LGBTQ+ businesses, you're doing more than making a purchase. You're:
Creating economic opportunities for queer people. LGBTQ+ people still face discrimination in hiring, housing, and access to capital. Supporting queer-owned businesses helps level the playing field.
Building community. Queer spaces are where friendships are made, where first dates happen, where people find chosen family. These businesses are the foundation of community.
Preserving queer culture and history. Every time a queer bar closes or a queer bookstore shuts down, we lose a piece of our history. Supporting these businesses means protecting our culture for future generations.
Amplifying queer voices. When you spend money at a queer-owned business, you're saying, "Your voice matters. Your work matters. Keep going."
The Bay Area has a rich history of LGBTQ+ activism, art, and community building. Supporting the businesses and organizations on this list is one way to honor that history and invest in the future.
Ready for Your Best Haircut in San Francisco?
If you're ready to try one of these 2025 styles — or figure out something entirely your own — we'd love to see you at Headprint Studio. Book an appointment at our Cow Hollow location (2848 Webster St, San Francisco, CA 94123) or our Castro location (4327 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94114).
Come for the style. Stay for the connection. And walk out with hair that feels unapologetically you.
