13 Black woman-owned bookstores to shop on Independent Bookstore Day
Independent Bookstore Day is almost here. #ShopBlack this weekend with our list of 13 Black-women owned bookstores around the country.
Katherine Morgan, owner of Grand Gesture Books in Portland, OR. | Ymani Wince, owner of Noir Bookshop in St. Louis, MO.IMAGES: COURTESY KATHERINE MORGAN AND YMANI WINCE
📍 Grand Gesture Books, Portland, OR: Grand Gesture Books is Oregon’s first-ever bookstore devoted entirely to romance.
📍 Noir Bookshop, St. Louis, MO: Noir Bookshop is St. Louis’ first and only concept bookstore dedicated exclusively to the Black experience.
Danielle Mullen, owner of SemiColon Bookstore in Chicago, IL. | Asha Grant, founder of The Salt Eaters Bookshop in Inglewood, CA.IMAGES: COURTESY DANIELLE MULLEN AND ASHA GRANT
📍 SemiColon Bookstore, Chicago, IL: Semicolon Bookstore is proud to be Chicago’s largest Black woman-founded nonprofit bookseller.
đź“Ť The Salt Eaters Bookshop, Inglewood, CA: Salt Eaters is an independent bookstore prioritizing books, comics, and zines by and about Black women, girls, femmes, and gender expansive people.
Kalima DeSuze, owner of Cafe con Libros (coffee with books) in Brooklyn. | Leah Johnson, author and owner of Loudmouth Book in Indianapolis.IMAGES: COURTESY KALIMA DESUZE AND LEAH JOHNSON
📍 Cafe con Libros (coffee with books), Brooklyn, NY: Cafe con Libros is Brooklyn’s only intersectional feminist indie bookstore and coffee shop.
đź“Ť Loudmouth Books, Indianapolis, IN: Loudmouth Books is a Black, queer, woman-owned independent bookstore dedicated to highlighting banned books, while uplifting the work of marginalized authors.
Nikki High, owner of Octavia’s Bookshelf in Pasadena, CA. | Rosa Duffy, owner of For Keeps Bookstore in Atlanta, GA.IMAGES: COURTESY NIKKI HIGH AND ROSA DUFFY
📍 Octavia’s Bookshelf, Pasadena, CA: Octavia’s is a Black, woman-owned independent bookstore highlighting BIPOC authors and inspired by Octavia.
đź“Ť For Keeps Bookstore, Atlanta, GA: For Keeps Bookstore in Atlanta is dedicated to rare and classic Black books.
Hannah Oliver Depp, co-owner of Loyalty Book in Petworth, DC + Silver Spring, MD. | Derrick, Ramunda and Mahogany, owners of Washington D.C.-based Mahogany Books.IMAGES COURTESY OLIVER DEPP AND DERRICK, RAMUNDA, MAHOGANY
đź“Ť Loyalty Books, Silver Spring, MD: is a Black, Queer + Asian owned indie bookstore in Petworth, DC + Silver Spring, MD, specializing in diverse books, gifts, and events.
đź“Ť Mahogany Books, Washington DC: Mahogany Books is a well-known Black-owned bookstore in DC with books for, by, and about people of the African Diaspora.
Darlene Okpo, owner of Adanne, a bookshop in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y. | Courtney Bledsoe, owner of Call and Response Books based on the South Side of Chicago.IMAGES COURTESY DARLENE OKPO AND COURTNEY BLEDSOE
đź“Ť Adanne (ah-dahn-eh), Brooklyn, NY: Adanne is a bookshop located in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y. specializing in books written by authors of color.
đź“Ť Call and Response Books, Chicago, IL: Call and Response Books is newly-opened bookstore based on the South Side of Chicago that centers writings and experiences of Black people and other people of color.
Jeannine A. Cook, owner of Harriett’s Bookshop in Philadelphia, PAIMAGE COURTESY HARRIETT’S BOOKSHOP JEANNINE A. KING
📍Harriett’s Bookshop, Philadelphia, PA: Harriett’s Bookshop is an avant-garde bookshop celebrating women authors, artists, and activists under the guiding light of Harriett Tubman.