What better way to be productive while staying indoors than supporting Black businesses — and, specifically, Black-owned bookstores? Books are great to help stimulate your brain and keep your thoughts off the craziness happening in the world. With that said, now is the perfect time to crack open those books collecting dust on your shelves.

While many of us are social distancing, online shopping makes it much easier for us to get everything we want and need. If you need some new additions to your book collections, check out these Black-owned online bookstores below.

Uncle Bobbies

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books (@unclebobbies)

While the Philadelphia-based bookstore has temporarily closed its physical store, Uncle Bobbies is offering customers the chance to shop for books and audiobooks through their IndieLite and Libro.fm accounts. The bookstore has also set up a GoFundMe to provide financial relief for their staff as they remain closed.

Key Bookstore

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Keybookstore.com (@keybookstore)

The Key Bookstore offers a fully interactive bookstore experience for consumers engaging them through connection, interaction, events, and savings. Key Bookstore puts its focus on readers following their motto of “divine liberation one page at a time.”

Mahogany Books

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-YcZZDnoPa/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Mahogany Books’ online store is still open for business even as their physical location is temporarily closed. The D.C. -based bookstore is an independent business that fully supports social entrepreneurship. Their mission is dedicated to meeting the needs of readers “in search of books written for, by, or about people of the African Diaspora.”

Semicolon Bookstore

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-SSuOuHkTb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

As Chicago’s only Black woman-owned independent bookstore and gallery space, Semicolon Bookstore aims to create a welcoming space for all readers. Although they’ve temporarily closed their doors in compliance with social distancing, they’ve asked customers to continue to support them by shopping through their online store with an added ten percent discount.

Hakim’s Bookstore

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hakim's BookStore (@hakimsbookstore)

Hakim’s Bookstore is another Philadelphia-based business, and one of many beloved Black-owned bookstores, extending its online services to readers during this time. The bookstore specializes in African-American history stressing the importance of Black people understanding and establishing their cultural identities. They encourage people to support all Black businesses during this time any way they can.

Harriet’s Bookshop

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Harrietts Bookshop (@harrietts_bookshop)

Harriet’s Bookshop is an independent bookstore and creative space dedicated to celebrating women writers, artists, and activists. The newly-opened bookstore is adjusting to being a temporary online business, but their store is offering an extensive collection of female authors.

Ashay At The Bay

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-h5_O5nmKU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Ashay At The Bay serves as the Bay Area’s #1 Black children’s bookstore specializing in African American and multi-cultural books. Their online collection features tons of diverse books and stories for children.

The Lit Bar

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6D-JRNJeR5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The Lit Bar is the only bookstore serving the Bronx community creating a haven for reading, social interaction, and intellectual visibility. The premiere bookstore and wine bar for Bronx residents, while temporarily closed, is still allowing customers to shop for their essential books through their online store.

AfriWare Books

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nzingha Nommo (@afriwarebooks)

AfriWare Books has been serving the community for almost 20 years providing a platform to highlight authors, artists, and activists who inspire a sense of cultural pride. Following COVID-19 orders, they’ve since switched to a new business model to accommodate online book orders for customers.

DTR 360 Books

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-kCT8vndx0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

DTR 360 Books is an online bookstore for both books and other forms of knowledge of every genre appealing to all customers. Their company philosophy is built on information, communication, and education catering to Black readers everywhere.

bookstores

Sign up for our daily Newsletter.