Books

You Should Absolutely Know About These Black-Owned Indie Bookstores

Langley Leverett  //  Feb 16, 2024

You Should Absolutely Know About These Black-Owned Indie Bookstores

Looking for something new to add to your bookshelf and your TBR? Check out these 103 Black-owned bookstores when looking for your next read.

 Arkansas

Hearne Fine Art – Little Rock, AR

Pyramid Art Books & Custom Framing – Little Rock, AR

 

Arizona

Grassrootz Books and Juice Bar – Phoenix, AZ

 

California

Ashay by the Bay – Vallejo, CA

Malik Books – Los Angeles, CA

Marcus Books – Oakland, CA

Octavia's Bookshelf – Pasadena, CA

Old Capitol Books – Monterey, CA

Reparations Club – Los Angeles, CA

The Salt Eaters Bookshop – Inglewood, CA

Underground Books – Sacramento, CA

 

Colorado

Shop at MATTER – Denver, CO

Tattered Cover Book Store – Aurora, Denver, and Littleton, CO

Townie Books – Crested Butte, CO

 

Connecticut

Kindred Thoughts – Bridgeport, CT

 

District of Columbia

Loyalty Bookstores – Washington, D.C.

Mahogany Books – Washington, D.C.

Sankofa Video and Books & Café – Washington, D.C.

Solid State Books – Washington, D.C.

 

Delaware

MeJah Books – Claymont, DE

 

Florida

Black Cafe & Bookstore – Pensacola, FL

Story and Song Bookstore – Fernandina Beach, FL

Best Richardson African Diaspora Literature – St. Augustine, FL

 

Georgia

All Things Inspiration – Mableton and Marietta, GA

Birdsong Books – Locust Grove, GA

Blackdot Cultural Center & Bookstore – Lithonia, GA

Brave + Kind Bookshop – Decatur, GA

For Keeps Books – Atlanta, GA

Medu Bookstore – Atlanta, GA

Nubian Bookstore – Morrow, GA

Rejoice Christian Books and Gift Shop – Lawrenceville, GA

The Book Worm Bookstore – Powder Springs, GA

 

Illinois

Afriware Books, Co – Maywood, IL

Brown Babies Books – Evanston, IL

Da Book Joint – Chicago, IL

Kido – Chicago, IL

Semicolon Bookstore – Chicago, IL

The Underground Bookstore – Chicago, IL

 

Indiana

Brain Lair Books – South Bend, IN

Ink Drinkers Anonymous – Muncie, IN

 

Louisiana

Baldwin & Co. – New Orleans, LA

Black to the Basics – Grambling, LA

Community Book Center – New Orleans, LA

 

Maryland

Baltimore Read Aloud – Baltimore, MD

Everyone's Place – Baltimore, MD

Loyalty Bookstores – Silver Spring, MD

MahoganyBooks – Oxon Hill, MD

 

Massachusetts

Frugal Book Store – Boston, MA

Olive Tree Books-n-Voices – Springfield, MA

Susie's Stories – Rockport, MA

The Million Year Picnic – Cambridge, MA

 

Michigan

Blackstone Bookstore and Cultural Center – Ypsilani, MI

Detroit Book City – Oak Park, MI

Nandi's Knowledge Café – Highland Park, MI

Socialight Society  – Lansing, MI

Source Booksellers – Detroit, MI

We Are LIT Grand Rapids – Grand Rapids, MI

 

Minnesota

Black Garnett Books – Saint Paul, MN

Planting People Growing Justice Press & Bookstore – Minneapolis, MN

Strive Bookstore – Minneapolis, MN

 

Missouri

EyeSeeMe African American Children's Bookstore – St. Louis, MO

Willa's Books & Vinyl – Kansas City, MO

Little Readers – St. Louis, MO

 

Nebraska

Aframerican Bookstore – Omaha, NE

 

New Jersey

Ida's Bookshop – Collingswood, NJ

Source of Knowledge – Newark, NJ

The Little Boho Bookshop – Bayonne, NJ

 

New York

Adanne – Brooklyn, NY

Cafe Con Libros – Brooklyn, NY

Cups and Books – Brooklyn, NY

Hueman Books – New York, NY

Sister's Uptown Bookstore – New York, NY

The Lit. Bar: Bookstore & Chill – Bronx, NY

Word Up Community Bookshop/Librería Comunitaria – New York, NY

Zawadi Books – Buffalo, NY

 

North Carolina

Liberation Station Bookstore – Raleigh, NC

 

Ohio

Elizabeth's Bookshop & Writing Centre – Akron, OH

 

Oklahoma

Nappy Roots Books – Oklahoma City, OK

 

Oregon

Third Eye Books – Portland, OR

 

Pennsylvania

Hakim's Bookstore – Philadelphia, PA

Harriett's Bookshop – Philadelphia, PA

The Literary Cafe and Events – Philadelphia, PA

The Tiny Bookstore – Pittsburgh, PA

Uncle Bobbie's Coffee & Books – Philadelphia, PA

 

Tennessee

Alkebu-Lan – Nashville, TN

Bookshop at The Bottom – Knoxville, TN

 

Texas

BLACKLIT – Dallas, TX

Kindred Stories – Houston, TX

Pan-African Connection Bookstore – Dallas, TX

The Book Readers Venue – Humble, TX

The Dock Bookshop – Fort Worth, TX

 

Virginia

Books and Crannies – Martinsville, VA

Harambee Books – Alexandria, VA

Resist Booksellers – Petersburg, VA

The Book Bar RVA – Richmond, VA

 

Washington

LOVING ROOM – Seattle, WA

Parable – Tacoma, WA

 

Wisconsin

Rooted MKE – Milwaukee, WI