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Death of the Black Owned, Independent, Bookstore


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I am interested in the Facebook conversation as well. In the meantime, this is so sad, because black owned, independent book stores are much more than just stores to get books from. They are centers of culture, often portals of some sort, aiding many in transformation. There are many whose education has come mainly from their own will to educate themselves and the spirit/existence of the black owned, independent book stores are invaluable for this reason and so many more.

All of this online stuff is cool as far as convenience and often price are concerned, but there is just something about these book stores that cannot be topped by the aforementioned. There is only one black owned, independent black book store here in Augusta, Georgia. Sadly, this has been the case for well over a decade. We have to support these stores; we need them.

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Hey Waterstar I've been to at least two different stors in ATL. Medu (in a mall I forget the name of it) and the Shrine of the Black Madona (not too far from Moorehouse). Are you saying one of them is closed.

I agree about Black bookstores there are a pillar of a community. The idea that a state like NC with cities like Greensboro, Raleigh, and Charlotte can not have a single Black owned bookstore boggles the mind....

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Oh I just love The Shrine of the Black Madonna. Nah, not saying that either of the stores that you mentioned are closed, but I'm in Augusta. That's about 2 hours away from ATL. Biggin up the only black book store here, Hamilton Book Store. Being in Augusta is like stepping into The Twilight Zone! Hamilton's book store is one of the only things in Augusta to help some of us know that we are not crazy. lol

Wow, not even one black book store in those areas you mentioned? That is puzzling, especially in the case of Charlotte. You know though, Troy, the south is something else... I can't even really think about how things are here without taking back the "puzzling" part.

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LMAO!!! (at Troy looking like Donna Summer in that hood). Anyone who has her album covers will recognize the expression on Troy's face.....

~*~

There is a Black owned bookstore in Charlotte, NC.

It is owned by a young black man who used to be a football player. I was invited there

but then ended up not going.

I did a 38 city book tour last year.

It was amazing to find that almost no one else was touring!!

Johnny Temple told me that book tours are dying out because they don't sell enough books and

the expense of sending out the authors (esp. black authors) is crippling.

The industry really is changing; it's dying. But at the same time, a new birth is taking place.

It's "formless" in its infant stages.

KOLA

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Kola, I think I know the store you are reffering to in Charlotte and it closed. The owner opened a Hooka bar, there are books for sale in the corner of the establishment, but calling it a book store would be a stretch I was there a just weeks ago.

Signings are not effective for a number of reasons, but viewing them as opportunities to sell enough book to cover the course of the trip is short sighted.

Signing are a form of advertsing and promotion -- an expense if you sell enough books to cover the trip -- great. But if you connect with people, introduce them to your work, those folks will talk about your work with others, post photos on social media. that can pay even greater dividens down the road.

The "crippling" book signing is the one in which no one attends, this usually happens when the publisher, store owner, and author fail to promote the signing. Often no research is done to ensure a good date is chosen (Wednesday evenings in the south -- conflicts with bible study), Of course is get more complex but no so much so that common mistakes coulr be avoided.

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  • 4 years later...

Mickey, I can't find any evidence that Hamilton Book Store And Art Gallery store is open.  Facebook, Yelp, Yellowpages, all copy the same stale information.  I've called the number listed and it is no longer valid.

If you or anyone has different information that I can verify please post it here.

 

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