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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.