- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Obelisk
Rating Details »
Category: Bookstores
Neighborhood: Hillcrest1029 University Ave
(between 10th Ave & Cleveland Ave)
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 297-4171
- Hours:
Mon-Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
11 reviews for Obelisk
My Favorite Bookstore in San Diego is Obelisk in Hillcrest. They have a Great Selection of Books from Current, hard to Find, Gay/Lesbian Themed titles and More.... They rent Movies too as well as sell some current Hits and they have a small selection of Music as well by Local Artists. They also are the place to go for Event tickets for several Film Festivals and Pride parties Etc.
The Staff is Friendly and the Store is very Organized.
I can't believe this store is stuck with Edenista's Homosexuals Abound! post.
I have a less vivacious review than Paul S. but most join him in his conclusion. The staff were completely uninterested in helping me and seemed annoyed I needed them to get something from behind the counter.
Homosexual music played(-define that Edenista!) and the store met all the "community needs" but nothing about the store really made for a warm or memorable visit.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (2)
Ya know, just cuz you're a gay store doesn't mean you can offer no value or atmosphere. The workers are blase, the smallest rainbow flag cost $4.95, books are never marked down.
Gimme Bluestocking on 4th for books, and the news vendor at 6th and Univ for a better selection of magazines.
I'll sew my own fucking flags at that price.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
Great community bookstore with a good mix of music, movies, magazines and books. I support them because they are gay owned, have always supported the community and continue to help define Hillcrest as the only gay owned and gay oriented bookstore. Not sure what Gerry O's rant is about but it lacks any real knowledge or history about Obelisk and their role in the community for the last 15 or so years.
Go, shop, support local bookstores that support our community.
My goodness, Edenista M.! That's quite the heterosexual review there. I don't think I've ever heard a straight person use the word "homosexual" so definitively before. Yes, we get it! Obelisk is a GAY bookstore in GAY Hillcrest, with GAY employees and GAY customers buying their GAY books and renting their GAY DVDs, living down the street in their GAY condos and shopping at the GAY farmers market, eating their GAY sushi and walking their GAY dogs!
Enlighten your soul.
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Funny (9)
- Cool (7)
Wow, what a clinical review there Edenista. I mean you are in Hillcrest and the straight folks haven't pushed *all* they gays out. Terms like "Homosexuals" and "Homosexually Relevant"? Anyway...
Since this is "the community"'s only gay bookstore I probably should give it a good review. The service is generally good from the staff, but I have not checked out any DVDs since I do not live local to that part of town (I'm way in the North end of the city).
Always has a good periodical section, both "adult" and mainstream as well as your usual selection of coffee table books and mainstream "NY Times Top Sellers" etc. You'll also find all the local free community rags here and some from Orange County, LA, Las Vegas, and Palm Springs as well as the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce directories.
Lots of novelty items inside including tourists shirts reading "Hillcrest 92103" etc, music on CDs, keychains, mugs, the usual tourist fare. It looks like the rainbow has exploded in some parts of the store. "Community appropriate" cards and calendars can also be found here.
There is also a modest selection of lubes should you so need some.
Now that the other "gay" store that used to be on 30th and Upas has closed this is about it other than "F" street which is decidedly more straight.
Be forewarned, parking is meter only here though you can circle the blocks behind the store and park for free in residential areas. Don't park across the street at Ralph's - they tow.
Patronize this bookstore every now and then even if only to keep it in operation. We need more independent bookstores and more "community" bookstores and there aren't that many local bricks and mortar places in San Diego that stock gay greeting cards.
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Cool (4)
I've come to the sad realization that there are hardly any places to loiter in Hillcrest anymore. Forget window shopping. The shops are few and far between unless you go west of 5th Ave. Otherwise, all that's left are some furniture stores, the Healthy Back store, Ace Hardware, several Starbucks and Obelisk. Obelisk is like a beacon of gay light and probably the best place to hang out while you wait for friends to show up for dinner at one of the many restaurants in Hillcrest. Go towards the back of the store (but before the DVDs) for the sale books. I have found some amazing deals there.
This is a very gay bookstore, as everyone has mentioned. Every gayborhood has one. If it's too shockingly gay for you, you should probably skip Hillcrest and head to the Gaslamp or PB instead. The gay bookstore is a cornerstone in every gay neighborhood. It's the place to find books on coming out, same-sex marriage, gay families, , gay fiction, gay erotica and gay magazines. Where else are we gonna find all that? Think on it for a minute, straight people. I, for one, enjoy being in an environment where I am not invisible. Thanks for being there, Obelisk. I know that a lot of people really appreciate that you are around.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (3)
I love Obelisk! Besides having great gay-centric books, magazines, cards, and pornos, it boasts a wonderful video rental service. I used to rent videos there all the time when I lived in the neighborhood. They don't censor them like Blockbuster so you get to see all the full frontal you want! They have lots of great titles that you might not be able to find without Netflix, and you can rent porn, too.
Often, they sell tickets to local events.
Now that I'm in North Park, my favorite place to rent videos is the Von's machine!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
Loved the madonna, kathy griffin and golden girls items as well as the books!
Great little neighborhood bookstore! I love giving them my business. I want them to stay in business years to come so I will shop there and even pay a little bit more at times to shop there. I however recommend that if they do not have something in stock and you want it quickly, go home and order it online if you want it sooner and cheaper.
Obelisk bookstore did choose its name quite symbolically, indeed! The selection is mostly geared toward the homosexual crowd of Hillcrest and its surroundings. Homosexually relevant cards, same-sex themed literature, erotica DVDs, and the weekly pick of Lesbian favorite musical compilation are the constituents of the lot here. Don't discard it because you're not from the island of Lesbos, as you'll find other themes and topics besides those aforementioned.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (2)
