20 Black-Owned Bookstores Across the US to Support

African-American lore has grown depraved in libraries and large bookstore chains nationwide due to the rising banned books movement. Even as essential novels from pantheon Black authors like Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Maya Angelou have been targeted in this widespread censorship, independent Black-owned bookstores have defiantly advocated for these and other fearless writers of the past and present.

Generations since the United States enacted anti-literacy laws against the enslaved and formerly enslaved, six percent of independent bookstores in the country are Black-owned. The statistic is modest, but approximately 149 retailers are furthering the presence of BIPOC authors and inspiring voracious readers to scour the Black books canon through a variety of genres. Black book clubs are also motivating literature enthusiasts to return to library stacks, with reading sessions hosted at Black-owned bookstores throughout the country.

In Houston’s Third Ward there’s Kindred Stories, a cozy, blink-and-you-miss-it bookseller and community space that upholds Black-authored works. In Inglewood, the rose-hued interior of The Salt Eaters Bookshop welcomes books from Black women, femmes, and non-binary authors. From bookstores in Brooklyn all the way to Seattle, Black-owned bookstores are expanding across the nation, with a handful of them having already made their mark. Curl up and read on for 20 Black-owned bookstores to check out for a future haul.

Harriet’s Bookshop (Philadelphia, PA)

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In the heart of artsy Philadelphia neighborhood Fishtown is Harriett’s Bookshop, named after heroic abolitionist Harriett Tubman. Founded by South Philly resident Jeannine A. Cook, the eclectic bookshop houses various titles, namely books written by Black authors. Ask to visit the shop’s basement and you’ll be given a candle to scour the “underground” room, a dedication to enslaved ancestors who had to conceal their reading. Among big names who’ve stopped by the bookstore, Philadelphia native Will Smith began the book tour for his 2021 memoir Will at Harriett’s. Cook hasn’t limited her book expertise to Philadelphia. In 2021, she opened sister location Ida’s Bookshop in Collingswood, New Jersey, which was followed by pop-up Josephine’s Bookshop in Paris.

Fulton Street Books & Coffee (Tulsa, OK)

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​The legacy of Black Wall Street lives on in Tulsa’s only Black-owned bookstore, Fulton Street Books & Coffee. Founded by Onikah Asamoa-Caesar, the North Tulsa shop had a soft opening in 2019, but innovatively offered delivery subscriptions to avid readers at the height of the pandemic. Although the store is temporarily closed due to a relocation in the town’s historic Greenwood District, Fulton has expanded to a kiosk in the Tulsa International Airport. Titles are also available on the shop’s website, including the memoir Don’t Bury My Story. The book is co-authored by Viola Ford Fletcher who, at 109 years old, is the oldest known survivor and witness of the Tulsa race massacre.

Octavia’s Bookshelf (Pasadena, CA)

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Pasadena’s first Black-owned bookstore, Octavia’s Bookshelf had a lauded opening earlier this year. Opened in March by entrepreneur and communications maven Nikki High, the Southern California book hub pulls its name from Black sci-fi author and renowned creative laureate Octavia Butler, who’s also from Pasadena. The independent bookshop probably wouldn’t have come into fruition if High hadn’t openly shared her story about departing the corporate world to pursue her love for literature. Thanks to High’s GoFundMe page – and support of BIPOC authors – Octavia’s has stood tall, despite having to deal with a burglary that took place in June earlier this year.

Kindred Stories (Houston, TX)

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Black and woman-owned bookstore Kindred Stories brings diverse narratives to Houston’s Third Ward. Founded by Terri Hamm, Kindred Stories is a guest house-esque brick-and-mortar where readers can scour for newly-published picks like Mitchell Jackson’s Fly: The Big Book of Basketball Fashion, and Zadie Smith’s The Fraud. The shop also sells artisan crafts including aromatic candles and ceramic mugs. While keeping visitors up-to-date on new books through subscriptions, Kindred also hosts monthly book clubs, author talks, and writing workshops for experienced scribers.

Cafe con Libros (Brooklyn, NY)

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Brooklyn bookstore and bistro Cafe con Libros uplifts readers with a feminist and Afro-Latinx twist. Founded in 2017 by Kalima DeSuze, the independent shop has fueled the community’s appetite for literature and intersectional feminist knowledge, holding “Bookish” events like occasional book clubs, author discussions, and educational panels. Staunchly opposed to whitewashed literature, diversity is Cafe con Libros’ mission, and just over five years since its opening, it continues to do just that.

Frugal Bookstore (Boston, MA)

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In Boston’s quaint Roxbury neighborhood is a family-owned and operated book haven that gives readers more bang for their buck. Dedicated to “changing minds one book at a time,” Frugal Bookstore has titles for all ages, and limitless options for children and YA bookworms. A highlight of the city’s Nubian Square, voracious readers can also pour into Frugal for book signings, performances, and Noname Book Club meet-ups.

Mahogany Books (Washington, D.C.)

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For essential literature spanning the African diaspora, look no further than D.C.’s Mahogany Books. Originally launched as an online bookstore in 2007 by husband-and-wife team Derrick and Ramunda Young, Mahogany Books opened its physical location 10 years later and has since garnered national recognition for bringing attention to Black authors. Housed in multi-use arts space Anacostia Arts Center, Mahogany Books has recently joined the retail lineup in Reagan National Airport store Goods@DCA.

Reparations Club (Los Angeles, CA)

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Founded by creative entrepreneur Jazzi McGilbert, Reparations Club is a bookshop, concept shop, and community space that has become a Southern California highlight. The shop uplifts Black and LGBTIA+ book enthusiasts, with books like Colson Whitehead’s Crook Manifesto and Nabil Ayers’ My Life in the Sunshine available for purchase. Reparations Club also hosts “IRL Events,” where guests can have candid conversations with BIPOC authors like Clarkeisha Kent, Hanif Abdurraqib, and Rinny Perkins.

Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Centre (Akron, Ohio)

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Ohio’s own Elizabeth’s Bookshop and Writing Centre holds it down in the Midwest. The indie bookshop, owned by writer and activist Rachel Elizabeth Cargle, resides in Akron’s Middlebury neighborhood, where its aim is outreach and to amplify marginalized voices. Opened in 2020, Elizabeth’s has remained an Akron fixture for its Saturday morning story time hours and poetry writing sessions. As safe spaces, the bookstore also holds BIPOC and queer reader meetups, along with events for all readers who want to commingle.

Loyalty Bookstores (Washington, D.C. and Silver Spring, MD)

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DMV literature space Loyalty Bookstores has two locations and infinite reads. One in D.C. and another in Silver Spring, Loyalty received a whopping $20,000 from Good Morning Americalast August for its plans to expand across the tri-state area. Founded by Hannah Oliver Depp, the bookstore makes tolerance and equality its practice, bravely continuing their Drag Story Hour series despite increased anti-drag performance restrictions nationwide.

The Salt Eaters Bookshop (Inglewood, CA)

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The Salt Eaters Bookshop is a place that gives Black women, femmes, and non-binary readers a sense of belonging. Established in 2021 by L.A. native and Spelman College alumna Asha Grant, the Salt Eaters emphasizes a Black feminist concept, taking its namesake from Toni Cade Bambara’s 1980 novel The Salt Eaters. Traditional nonfiction and fiction books are on the shop’s shelves, while visitors can also scour experimental zines and comics. For a night out, come to the shop for monthly author chats and listening events dedicated to Beyoncé, Prince, Sade and more.

Black Garnet Books (St. Paul, MN)

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Breathing culture into St. Paul, Black Garnet Books offers representation to the city’s small Black population. Nestled in the Twin Cities’ Midway neighborhood, Black Garnet was opened last November by founder Dionne Sims to enrich Black locals, just two years after George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. Despite Sims’ admitted social media absence to preserve her mental health, the shop has nationwide fanfare and offers 4,000 titles from BIPOC authors. Top picks include James McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, and George M. Johnson’s All Boys Aren’t Blue.

The Lit Bar (Bronx, NY)

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​Representing the Bronx is The Lit Bar, where readers can flip book pages in between wine sips. Opened in 2019 by Bronx native Noëlle Santos, the space encourages guests to loosen up (responsibly) while giving an authentic local feel, and picking up where the borough’s former Barnes & Noble location left off. Other notable aspects of the bookstore include a variety of snack options patrons can purchase — gourmet popcorn, craft chocolate bars, and sweet brunch boards — along with niche book sections that include a Hip-Hop 50 section. Appropriate for the borough that birthed hip-hop, the section features everything from Fat Joe’s memoir The Book of Jose to Jonathan Abrams’ The Come Up.

Estelita’s Library (Seattle, WA)

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Seattle community library, bookstore, and gathering place Estelita’s Library fuels knowledgeable minds. Co-founded by Edwin and Estelle Lindo, the shop was originally built for the couple’s daughter, Estella, but has grown with foundational care from Central District locals. An inclusive space where social justice, ethnic studies, and liberation movements are pivotal, Estelita’s also features an extensive collection of Black Panther newspapers, some of which were gathered from Edwin’s San Francisco hometown.

Serenity Book Shop (Columbus, OH)

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Premiere Black-owned bookstore Serenity Book Shop has carved its own lane in the largely white neighborhood of Grandview. Opened in August by founder and author Shana Tiggs, Serenity has books both new and donated, as well as metaphysical supplies like crystals, sage, and incense for customers to peruse while sipping on light beverages. Serenity will soon host live music performances and spoken word poetry sessions.

Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books (Philadelphia, PA)

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Philadelphia bookstore Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books is more than just a Germantown hangout. Author and academic Marc Lamont Hill owns the shop and cafe, named after his uncle who motivated the Philly native to grow a passion for literature. The bookseller’s section contains powerful reads spanning Africana to Banned Books, while symposiums on influential Black figures and author talks are regularly held.

The Shop At Matter (Denver, CO)

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Colorado’s only Black-owned bookstore is far from average. Located in Denver’s upscale downtown area, The Shop At Matter – founded by partners Rick Griffith and Debra Johnson – pushes literature on abolition, Black studies, and racial justice. For communion with other readers, the shop is a Noname Book Club site, and also houses the Well-Read Black Girl Book Club.

For Keeps Books (Atlanta, GA)

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In Atlanta, For Keeps Books looks to the past for the progression of Black literature. Owned and operated by Rosa Duffy, the Sweet Auburn District bookstore instills hometown pride among residents and Black expats, due to the shop’s archival displays of political newspaper clippings and vintage poetry books. A hub for rare Black books, options range from procured, out-of-print works to classics like Richard Wright’s Native Son.

Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery (Chicago, IL)

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​Chicago’s largest Black-woman-owned bookstore brings together written compositions and art. Owned by writer and entrepreneur Danielle Mullen, Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery is a shop and exhibition space that advocates for local minds, supporting literacy-focused initiatives like National Black Literacy Day (which Mullen founded). After three months of renovations, the newly reopened Semicolon has become a community learning nonprofit, where writers and readers can utilize the space to support city-wide literacy.

Black Pearl Books (Austin, TX)

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Cultural awareness shines through Black Pearl Books. Owners Eric and Katrina Brooks first established the bookstore in 2019 as a local pop-up and online store, but the space has evolved from its original shipment garage headquarters. Now having a physical location in North Austin, Black Pearl Books has become a simple retreat for book lovers to stock up on works by marginalized and underrepresented authors.