Five Years of Empowering Minds and Honoring Roots
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Black Food Bookstore and Culture Shop began in the early 2000’s as an online bookstore and blog where, on a weekly basis, we offered a critique of local and international events. Over the years, we provided thoughtful and unique analysis and viewpoints on many issues. We also covered numerous local happenings and held a spotlight on the fantastic people throughout our communities who were going unnoticed for all the positive things they were doing to uplift others. We held our own in the online media space and naturally became politically active in an attempt to advance economic and political growth and development in the country that we love; the country that we call home – The Bahamas.
We were also keen on connecting The Bahamas with the international black liberation struggle; a movement of men and women who work tirelessly to advance the interests of the oppressed and marginalized throughout the world.
By 2017 we knew that it was time to open a traditional brick and mortar. Prior to this time, we had operated a quasi-store on Market Street for several years while maintaining an online presence. In the years after moving out of that space, we eventually held pop-ups on a quarterly basis. As the plans progressed for our storefront, we decided that we would continue our focus on African/black history and culture with all of our product offerings and services given our understanding of the role that Africa and African people have played in the advancement of world civilization and our appreciation of the fact that as ‘Bahamians’ the large majority of us are African people first and foremost. We also wanted to create a space where the community could come together to discuss issues, find solutions, and build bonds.
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On December 19th, 2019, we opened our first full-fledged brick and mortar store at #343 Exquisite Square on the corner of Robinson Road and East Street. Over the last five years we have had the honor and joy of fulfilling our dreams and we thank everyone who has supported us along the way. We’ve retailed a curated selection of books that focus on black history and culture, African clothing, cosmetic items, and gift items.
We have sourced our products from Africa, mainly Ghana and Mali, as well as from the African Diaspora in the United States, Jamaica, The Bahamas and Haiti. Many of our suppliers are women-led micro, small and medium sized businesses and it brings us immense satisfaction to support women entrepreneurs because we know how crucial women are to shaping households, communities and society at-large. We also support businesses from rural communities. You, our customers, not only support us with your purchases but you also support a network of people who are striving to better their lives often in the face of considerable challenges.
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At the same time, we have hosted countless events such as panel discussions, book signings, and movie nights. This aspect of Black Food Bookstore and Culture Shop is equally as important to us. We believe that we have a duty to raise the consciousness of our community; a duty to share the knowledge that we have gained from historically black colleges and universities where we studied; a duty to share the knowledge we have gained from our travels and from our involvement in Pan-African and revolutionary organizations.
Of course, there have also been challenges to overcome. Some people seem to take offence to a store that at its core screams unapologetically: I’m Black and I’m Proud! In the twenty-first century in a country where 90% of the population can trace its roots to Africa we find this stance alarming. However, this informs us that there is considerable work to be done to educate our communities about our vibrant and shared history and what that means for the further growth and development of our nation. So, in short, even the obstacles have opened the door to more opportunities. And we believe that is how God works in our lives; turning all things around for our good.
We look forward to the next five years with optimism as we work to ensure a steady supply of products, to diversify our offerings and to also expand our services. In fact, we are working on plans to re-launch our tea and coffee service in Q1 of 2025. We also plan to offer more community programs and activities throughout the new year.
Again, thank you all for your continuous support and we look forward to serving you in the years ahead!
With Love,
Black Food Bookstore & Culture Shop