There is transporting power in great stories, and some of the finest keepers of that power are the nation’s independent, Black-owned bookstores. These shops are community meeting places that amplify diverse voices and often provide essential context to the histories of the United States and the world beyond. From New York to California, here are 13 Black-owned bookstores we love.
The Lit. Bar
- Location: New York City | Find on Google Maps
The Lit. Bar, which opened in 2019, was the first independent bookstore in the Bronx. Its mission, according to The Lit. Bar, is to “create a haven,” one that encourages reading and increases intellectual visibility in the Bronx. Bonus: The venue is also a wine bar and an event space.
Frugal Bookstore
- Location: Roxbury, Massachusetts | Find on Google Maps
Frugal Bookstore is a mainstay in the Roxbury neighborhood and is touted as the only Black-owned bookstore in Boston. Bookstore owners Leonard and Clarrissa Egerton offer popular anti-racist literature, titles focused on the history of the African Diaspora, and children’s books featuring characters of color. The shop also hosts story times and book club meetups.
Fulton Street Books and Coffee
- Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma | Find on Google Maps
Fulton Street Books and Coffee, located along Tulsa’s historic Black Wall Street, which was destroyed more than a century ago, is committed to “increasing intergenerational literacy and building a stronger community.” The shop specializes in children’s subscription boxes, “Little and Lit,” that provide diverse books for children, and in programs such as The Cause Club ($38 for three months), a quarterly book subscription that includes guest speaker events and additional resources for ongoing learning.
Sankofa Video Books & Café
- Location: Washington, D.C.| Find on Google Maps
A pillar of the Washington, D.C., community since 1998, Sankofa was started by husband-and-wife filmmaking team Shirikiana and Haile Gerima. Near Howard University (a historically Black university), Sankofa Video Books & Café is not only a bookstore but also a gathering place for all, including authors and students. Sankofa is an adinkra (Akan) term that translates to “going back to our past to go forward.” The bookstore specializes in books and videos highlighting the African diaspora.
Black Garnet
- Location: St. Paul, Minnesota | Find on Google Maps
In the wake of the George Floyd protests, Dionne Sims was looking for a way to support Black-owned bookstores and couldn’t find any in Minnesota. So she started one herself. She opened Black Garnet in 2022 to, as the store’s website states, “address racial inequities in both the publishing and literary industries.”
Hakim’s Bookstore
- Location: Philadelphia | Find on Google Maps
A West Philadelphia mainstay since the 1950s, Hakim’s Bookstore was started by Dawud Hakim, a scholar, author, and lecturer; today, the shop is still run by the family. The store stocks more than 200 children’s books as well as hundreds of titles on African American studies, history, philosophy, and religion.
MahoganyBooks
- Location: Oxon Hill, Maryland | Find on Google Maps
MahoganyBooks, founded in 2007 by husband-and-wife duo Derrick and Ramunda Young, was online for the first decade of its existence. The Youngs opened the debut physical location in 2017 in the Anacostia Arts Center, and in 2021, they relocated to the National Harbor in Maryland. Mahogany is known for its story times, author readings, and deep book inventory.
Marcus Books
- Location: Oakland, California | Find on Google Maps
Marcus Books, one of the oldest Black-owned bookstores in the country, was cofounded in San Francisco in 1960 by two doctors. Now based in Oakland, the bookstore is managed by the daughter of the original owners.
Brain Lair Books
- Location: South Bend, Indiana | Find on Google Maps
In 2018, school librarian Kathy Burnette opened Brain Lair Books, selling titles for children and young adults that are focused on inclusivity, empathy, and community. (Brain Lair is an anagram for “librarian.”) That’s not all: In the spirit of the books it sells, Brain Lair also offers discounts to teachers and college students and hosts community events.
For Keeps
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia | Find on Google Maps
Situated on historic Auburn Avenue, For Keeps specializes in rare and classic books by Black authors, including signed editions of titles from Audre Lorde, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, and Gwendolyn Brooks. Stop by, and you’ll find that some aren’t for sale but are instead supplied for in-store reading—like a community library.
Baldwin & Co.
- Location: New Orleans|Find on Google Maps
Baldwin & Co., named after author and cultural critic James Baldwin, is focused on elevating the local New Orleans community: not only the Marigny neighborhood where it’s located, but greater New Orleans as well. Offering books predominantly by BIPOC writers, Baldwin & Co. also promotes the arts through its foundation, which hosts author events, story times, and book drives, as writer Santi Elijah Holley noted during a recent visit to New Orleans.
Community Book Center
- Location: New Orleans | Find on Google Maps
Community Book Center’s tagline is “More Than a Book Store,” and that it is. In addition to books, the center sells art, fabric, and gifts. The center is also a storytelling venue for book clubs, churches, schools, and book fairs.
The Little Boho Bookshop
- Location: Bayonne, New Jersey | Find on Google Maps
After more than 15 years in the book publishing industry, Sandra Dear acted on her lifelong dream, opening The Little Boho Bookshop in July 2017. With its focus on books for children, teens, and young adults, the store has no shortage of offerings.
This article was originally published on September 3, 2020, and was updated with new information on February 24, 2025.
