Brown Books is a community bookseller and is not-for-profit. The shop is known for selling a mix of second-hand and new books, as well as being a hub for literary events and activities.

While, Luton Point is a prime location for Brown Books, particularly opposite H&M where Brown Books is located, it does mean that they have access to a smaller space than what they previously had.

June 14th, 2025 will mark Brown Books last day of trading in Luton Point. They will return into a fully repaired building sometime in July, as it’s believed the moving period will take a couple of weeks.

The shop’s High Town location has long been considered its heart, offering more room to host readings and book clubs. Its return is a cultural win for the area, which has lost many independent shops in recent years. Recently WH Smith shut down inside Luton Point, leaving the town with one less bookseller.

There is hope that once the bookseller has settled, we will see the return of their literary events, as this is something Luton desperately needs. You can check their event page for updates.

If you find yourself in the Luton area, be sure to pop into Brown Books this July at: Brown Books Community Bookshop, 77 High Town Road, LU2 0BW

The winner of the Golden Bookmark Competition will also get to nominate their favourite bookshop to receive a one-time £500 donation. This aligns with Bookshop.org’s mission to financially support independent bookshops.

ENTER COMPETITION

The competition starts today and will run for a month, until Thursday 10 November. To enter the Golden Bookmark Competition, all you need to do is fill in this form. Entrants will receive five bonus entries each time someone enters through their referral link. You can get your link once your first entry is submitted.

It’s not surprising that Bookshop.org is being so generous with this reward. Their entire business model comprises of bookstore sellers receiving 30 percent of the cover price from each sale they generate on the platform.

Nicole Vanderbilt, Managing Director of Bookshop.org UK had this to say about the Golden Bookmark Competition:  

More information about the competition rules can be found here. We wish the best of luck to all entrants. Because who wouldn’t love free books for a lifetime?

The website handles all online bookselling on behalf of small independent bookshops which might not receive many direct website visits from customers. Bookshop then gives the bookseller a modest percentage of each sale brought through their online storefront on the website.

The timing of Bookshop’s release couldn’t have been any more perfect, as around the time the first lockdown crippled many businesses in 2020, Bookshop was providing a viable solution for bookshops to stay afloat.

When millions of people are forced to stick to their homes, naturally, reading will become a common pastime. Bookshop.org provided an alternate option for readers to purchase their books while contributing to the larger bookselling economy. Amazon no doubt thrived during this time, but it’s good to know that both readers and booksellers are now empowered with more options.

Bookshop is privately operated by its founder, Andy Hunter, the American Booksellers Association, and the book wholesaler Ingram. In 2020, Bookshop opened up a base in the UK.

Redital has reached out to Bookshop.org for a broader understanding of the company’s goals. Look out for more information in the coming weeks.

We must help our local businesses survive during these times, and in order to preserve diversity in book publishing, we need these black-owned stores to survive.

If you’re worried about shopping during these times, many of these stores have online purchase options. Companies like Bookshop also help support these independent businesses, so head over to their website to see what you can do to support.

A List of Black-owned Bookstores in the U.S.A

Arizona
Grassrootz Books
 
Arkansas
Pyramid Art Books & Custom Framing
 
California
Malik Books
Eso Won Books
Reparations Club
The Salt Eaters Bookshop
Old Capitol Books
Marcus Books
Shades of Afrika
Carol’s Books
Underground Books
Ashay by the Bay
D3 Comic Book Spot
Sistah Scifi
Multicultural Children’s Bookstore
Smiley’s Bookstore
Word of Life Christian Bookstore
 
Colorado
Shop at Matter
 
Connecticut
People Get Ready
Burgundy Books
 
Delaware
MeJah Books
 
Washington D.C.
Sankofa
Loyalty Bookstore
Solid State Books
Mahogany Books
 
Florida
Cultured Books
Pyramid Books
Dare Books
Best Richardson African Diaspora Literature & Culture Museum
The Gathering Awareness and Book Center
 
Georgia
Brave + Kind Bookshop
All Things Inspiration Giftique
Onyxx Bookstore Cafe
The Book Worm Powder Springs
For Keeps Bookstore
The Listening Tree
Moore Books
Medu Bookstore
Black Dot Cultural Center
Nubian Bookstore
The Shrine of the Black Madonna
 
Illinois
Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery
AfriWare Books
Rose Cafe
Frontline Bookstore
Underground Bookstore IL
Da Book Joint
Kido
 
Indiana
The Brain Lair Bookstore
Akoma Books
Beyond Barcodes
 
Kentucky
Wild Fig Books and Coffee
 
Louisiana
Community Book Center
Between the Lines Bookstore
 
Massachusetts
Olive Tree Books N Voices
Footprints Cafe LLC
Susie’s Stories
Frugal Bookstore
 
Maryland
Everyone’s Place
Wisdom Book Center
Michigan
Source Booksellers
Detroit Book City
We Are LIT
Black Stone Bookstore & Cultural Center
Nandi’s Knowledge Cafe
Comma Bookstore
 
Missouri
EyeSeeMe
Aya Coffee + Books
Willa’s Books & Vinyl
 
Mississippi
Marshall’s Music and Bookstore
 
North Carolina
Shelves Bookstore
Liberation Station Bookstore
 
Nebraska
Aframerican Bookstore
 
New Jersey 
Source of Knowledge Bookstore
La Unique African American Books & Cultural Center
The Little Boho Bookshop
 
New York
The Lit. Bar
Cafe con Libros
The Bronx is Reading
The Filling Station
Cups and Books
Zawadi Books
Sisters Uptown Books
 
Ohio
Elizabeth’s Bookstore and Writing Centre
Alkebulan Ujaama Book Store
Smith & Hannon Bookstore
A Cultural Exchange
 
Oklahoma
Fulton Street Books & Coffee
Mocha Books
 
Pennsylvania
Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books
The Tiny Bookstore
Harriett’s Bookshop
Hakim’s Bookstore
Books & Stuff
The Black Reserve Bookstore
 
South Carolina
Turning Page Bookshop
 
Texas
The Dock Bookshop
Enda’s Booktique
Black Pearl Books
Pan-African Connection
Black World Books
 
Virginia
Books and Crannies
Positive Vibes
Harambee Books
House of Consciousness
Urban Moon Books
 
Washington
Estelita’s Library
L.E.M.S. Bookstore

This list of black bookstores was provided by Bookshop.org but I did my own research to provide links and other details. If you have more bookstores you feel should be added to the list, please shoot me an email. You may also leave a comment below.

When the pandemic is over and society is largely open again, it’s those cozy little shops that give avid readers like myself refuge. So we must do all that we can to keep them thriving. That’s why I’ve come up with a list of independent retailers that you can continue to order from online during the pandemic. Even if your To-be-read (TBR) list is already formulated, consider buying something for the future.

Below are two lists, one with independent bookshops in the UK that you can order from, and one for the U.S.

Independent Bookshops in the United Kingdom That You Can Buy Online From

Book-ish

Winner of Best Independent Bookshop in the UK 2020, Book-ish has a fine selection of books available in their online shop in a range of different genres.

Persephone Books

Persephone books specializes in mid-twentieth century fiction, mostly written by women. Inclusion is an important thing in 2020 and any bookshop aimed at highlighting voices that need to be heard should be supported.

Barnetts Books

Based in East Sussex, Barnett’s of Wadhurst allows users to order by telephone or email. Their website has a bit of a vintage internet feel, but they’re still worth supporting even if they don’t look as modern as other sites.

Pages of Hackney

Pages of Hackney is a small shop based in Lower Clapton Road that offers a diverse range of books.

Hive

Hive is connected to a bunch of independent bookshops, so when you buy something from them they pass on some of the proceeds to the bookshops of your choice. Their website is modern and easy to use, making it a great alternative to the mighty Zon when it comes to books.

Independent Bookstores in the United States That You Can Buy Online From

Literati Bookstore

Literati Bookstore® is an independent bookstore in downtown Ann Arbor.

Atomic Books

Atomic Books are literary enthusiasts based in Baltimore.

The Writer’s Block Bookstore

Similar to Hive in the UK, The Writer’s Block aims to help other independent bookstores in the US by splitting the profit of each sale with them.

Palabras Bilingual Bookstore

Palabras promotes diversity through literature.

Wordsworth Books

Wordsworth are book lovers who aim to match each reader with the perfect book.

The Last Bookstore Online

You can order most officially registered books with an ISBN from The Last Bookstore. I also really love their website design.

If you would like to promote any other online bookshop, feel free to drop a link in the comment section below!

The store is a book lovers dream, and from the moment I walked in and saw its aisles that were arranged like mazes, I wanted to get lost inside and discover all the books hidden within the ceiling high shelves. If I would have had unlimited time, I could have easily spent the entire day at the Strand.

I’m the type of book lover that doesn’t always have his eyes set on a specific book. I’m always open to discovering something completely new, and often times I let the book covers and titles capture my attention. Because of this, the Strand was exactly the store for me. The store is designed to make every book you stumble on seem like a new possibility.

But if you’re the type of shopper that is looking for something specific then you may need to ask for some assistance, as there are hundreds of books stacked in each row. Thankfully the staff is friendly and extremely helpful. At one point I was caught up in conversation with my companion about a book I’d seen online, and a nearby assistant overheard and pointed us in the right direction.

Like most book shops, each section is categorized. But on the central floor space you’ll find tables with curated selections. There are also four floors full of books. One floor is entirely dedicated to rare books and manuscripts.

One unique thing about the Strand is that they also buy and sell used books. Based on research, I’ve seen that brand new book sales make up around 40% of the Strand’s revenue, meaning that their used books trade is also a significant chunk of their business. All book hoarders know how important it is to have the option to sell off old or unwanted books, so this is another bonus about coming to Strand Bookstore. You can bring a stack of books with you to get rid of and replace them with a fresh haul. This is something that not all of the big book retailers here the UK offer.

As a tourist, there was also one kind of product I was extremely interested in, and that’s bookmarks. Seeing as I was traveling, I wanted as much memorabilia as I could get. Bookmarks were a perfect way to remember my journey, while also bringing something back for fellow book lovers. The Strand has a nice selection of bookmarks, magnets, pins and stationary. It also has its very own custom bookmarks that you can take for free.

If you’re in New York and you love books then you absolutely have to visit Strand Bookstore. If heaven exists for a book lover, then the Strand is definitely it.

– Pictures inside this article taken by Dana Abercrombie