Gospel according to Deacon: Lambda Rising and Oscar Wilde Bookstore owner Maccubbin reflects on his mission. (bookselling).(L. Page Maccubbin)

In January, L. Page "Deacon" Maccubbin came to an agreement to buy New York's Oscar Wilde Bookstore the first gay and lesbian bookstore in the country, one day before the landmark store was to close its doors. Already the owner of four other gay and lesbian bookstores, Maccubbin didn't see the acquisition of Oscar Wilde as an addition to his growing chain but a continuation of his "missionary work."

"I'm very proud of the fact that we were able to save Oscar Wilde and that it still operates," Maccubbin told PW. "It's now in its 36th year and the fact that it was the first gay and lesbian store opened is a powerful statement--that somebody had the vision, long before Stonewall, to invest their time, effort and money into pulling all the literature together in one place is remarkable. Craig Rodwell--the original owner made that vision happen, and I'm happy we can keep it alive."

In the Beginning

It seems appropriate that Maccubbin owns Oscar Wilde. It was a visit to the Greenwich Village bookstore in 1972 that, two years later, prompted his opening of the first Lambda Rising bookstore in …