Want to support LGBTQ+ businesses? There's an app for that

Colored glass and antique tins line the walls of Again Vintage, each ware reflecting gentle window light. Here, the hustle of New York City finds calm, and by design. Co-owners Ryann Holmes and Sara Elise wanted to run a business but also cultivate a sense of relaxation. Some visitors tell them coming inside feels like an exhale, Holmes says.

The tense political moment has made inclusivity in their business approach feel more urgent. Last year, the store joined Everywhere Is Queer, an app that maps out LGBTQ+ businesses globally. Holmes says the platform has united LGBTQ+ business owners and creatives who often “operate in silos.”

“People want to support Black- and queer-owned businesses, especially as a form of resistance to a lot of the stuff that we’re seeing now politically,” Holmes says. “It’s been a real connective tissue for us that folks are able to see us on the app already knowing that we’re a queer-affirming space.”

The Everywhere is Queer app helps users find LGBTQ-owned businesses.Jack Walker

About four years ago, a hub for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs was an idea Charlie Sprinkman had just brought to life. Everywhere Is Queer went live in January 2022 and today is funded through a mix of brand partnerships and paid perks, like in-app prioritization. A string of viral moments since has pushed the app past 20,000 participating businesses.

Sprinkman says threats facing the LGBTQ+ community are cause for strengthening that network even further. As of February, the American Civil Liberties Union reported that at least 398 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were being considered in statehouses around the country this year, many of them targeting transgender rights.

“It’s a really difficult time for our community right now,” Sprinkman says. “It’s now more than ever important that we really put the money in the hands of the people that see us as our most authentic selves.”

LGBTQ-owned businesses that use Everywhere Is Queer submit details about their companies for approval, then get marked by a pin on the map. Businesses can be filtered by type, from bars to hotels to retail, and can even advertise jobs.

“We’ve grown tremendously,” says Chris Redrich, the app’s developer. “We have about a quarter of a million app installs at this point, so we’re seeing pretty regular, repeat usage from users coming back, looking for connection and queer community around them.”

Again Vintage shop in NYCJack Walker

Sprinkman says he struggled to find centralized resources for LGBTQ+ people when he came out as a young adult. As he gradually found comfort and community in LGBTQ+ spaces, Sprinkman saw value in bridging that gap for others too.

Outside of liberal strongholds like New York City, business owners tell The Advocate that being featured on the app has not spurred a notable uptick in sales, likely because there are fewer users nearby. But they describe different benefits, like networking with other business owners and publicly signaling their connection to the LGBTQ+ community.

Rachel Csontos of St. Petersburg, Florida, launched their small business in 2024 without a physical storefront. Sales for their brand, Queer’d Apparel, came through social media and via the pop-up art markets that dot central Florida. The app has helped them meet other LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs.

“I kind of expected it to be an avenue for business, but it’s been more of an avenue for connection,” they say.

Kelsey Riker manages Kindred Post — a gift shop, event space, and contract postal unit in Juneau, Alaska. A tourist last year recommended that her store join the app, she says. Riker hopes the listing will draw new attention during this summer’s cruise season.

Everywhere is Queer creator Charlie Sprinkmancourtesy Everywhere is Queer

“We have a lot of businesses here in Juneau who are very friendly and welcoming and affirming to the queer community,” Riker says. “We want people to know that when they come and visit us here.”

Looking ahead, Sprinkman, who hails from a small town near Milwaukee, says Everywhere Is Queer is looking to develop new features to enhance user experience, though the specifics are not yet public.

In the meantime, he says building the platform has taught him a great deal about creating space for the LGBTQ+ community — and, ironically, starting a business himself.

“It’s just been the most incredible experience of my life,” Sprinkman says. “Hundreds of thousands of people have come across and interacted with Everywhere Is Queer. It’s just so beautiful.”

This article was written as part of the Future of Queer Media fellowship program at The Advocate, which is underwritten by a generous gift from Morrison Media Group. The program helps support the next generation of LGBTQ+ journalists.

This article is part of The Advocate’s Mar-Apr 2026 print issue, which hits newsstands March 24. Support queer media and subscribe — or download the issue through Apple News+, Zinio, Nook, or PressReader.