Philadelphia, PA
- The Philadelphia black-owned community is growing, from restaurants to specialized bookstores and retail establishments. Below are a few African-American bookshops in Philadelphia, from historic Hakim's Bookstore, founded over 60 years ago, to Hariteet's women-centric and activism-forward bookstore.
Philadelphia African-American-Owned Bookstores
1. Atomic City Comics
Atomic City Comics, founded and owned by Michael Yates and Darryl Jones in 2001, has long been an institution on South Street due to its extensive selection of comics, graphic novels, manga, back issues, horror, sci-fi, old school arcade games such as Street Fighter. Visit them today at 638 South Street!
2. Black and Nobel
Black and Nobel is more than a bookstore; owned by Hakim Hopkins, this cultural center provides DVDs and health and wellness products in an imaginative atmosphere. Furthermore, this shop delivers reading material directly to prisons for inmates to read while they await trial or release from imprisonment. Located at 422 South Street.
3. Hakim's Bookstore & Gift Shop
Hakim's Bookstore & Gift Shop is one of the country's oldest Black-owned bookstores - now an official historic site- in West Philadelphia, where Dawud Hakim established it over 60 years ago. Now owned and run by Hakim's daughter Yvonne Blake, Hakim's Bookstore & Gift Shop can be found at 210 S 52nd Street.
4. Harriett's Bookshop
Harriett's Bookshop in Fishtown, owned and run by Jeannine A. Cook, who opened it in February 2020, offers women-centric books focusing on art and activism and children's titles that resonate with her taste for reading. Toni Morrison's complete works, Zora Neale Hurston's works, children's titles as well as favorites of Jeannine herself are found within its shelves at Harriett's Bookshop at 258 E Girard Avenue.
5. Uncle Bobbie's Coffee & Books
Owner Marc Lamont Hill's Germantown hangout exudes community pride through its book selection and living-room atmosphere, similar to Washington D.C.'s Busboys and Poets chain. Inspired by Marc's favorite uncle at Temple University - who nurtured his love of reading - Uncle Bobbie's Coffee & Books can be found at 5445 Germantown
