First Black-owned bookstore in Farmers Branch closes doors after months of harassment

From KERA News:

The small bookstore BlackLIT in Farmers Branch celebrated its second anniversary last month with music, vendors, and community. But beneath the festive atmosphere, there was a sense of finality. Founder and CEO Nia-Tayler Clark had announced that the store would be closing its doors after just two years, due to months of harassment from a neighbor and ongoing issues with building management.

For many in the community, BlackLIT was more than a bookstore—it was a safe haven and a place that represented Black culture in an area lacking such spaces.

Seveyon Willis-Hill, a regular at BlackLIT, expressed the deep loss the closure signifies.

“This is a space that gives voice even without talking,” he said.

Supporter Alandria Ford said she sees the closure not as an end but as motivation to create more spaces like it.

“This is a space for God’s people to come and to enjoy Black culture, Black literature,” Ford said.

Clark started BlackLIT in 2019 as a subscription box service that included a book with discussion questions, a t-shirt, and a few products from Black-owned businesses. The idea came to her after a student remarked that they didn’t read because they were Black. Concerned about the impact of such a mindset, she created a platform that showcased books by Black authors.

“I just didn’t want my son to become my 10th-grade student or anybody else’s student,” Clark said. “I wanted them to start seeing themselves in books to know that literacy was for them too.”

The service quickly gained popularity, with Oprah Magazine ranking it as the second-best subscription box of its kind in 2020.

“I called my mom like, ‘Mom, I think I’m on Oprah,’” she said. “I’m at my job, sitting here looking at it.”

Overnight, BlackLIT went from a few orders to a few thousand orders during Christmas time. Clark says it happened so fast with so little help, it almost killed her business. This prompted her to open a physical store in 2022. The location was chosen with a mission to support fellow Black-owned businesses.

“Where BlackLIT is located now, the businesses that are open are owned by Black women,” Clark said. “We’re surrounded by neighbors that look like us.”

But opening the bookstore came with a set of challenges. As a first-time store owner, Clark faced financial hurdles and a lack of support from building management. The issues escalated from late rent payments to missing basic utilities like hot water and air conditioning. Even after raising $40,000 from the community to cover payment, problems persisted.

“It seemed like [management] was annoyed, to be honest, like that she has to deal with this,” Clark said.

On top of financial burdens, some unwelcoming neighbors began harassing the business. Clark recalls a series of unsettling incidents, including when a man entered the store with her lease in hand – complete with personal information.

When it was brought to management’s attention, Clark said they acted unaware of the situation. Building management declined to answer KERA’s questions about their response.

The situation took a darker turn when another male neighbor began showing up at the store, attending women-only events and making inappropriate advances toward the attendees.

“We just thought it was like a uncomfortable coincidence,” Clark said. “But then it got to the point where we could clearly see this is not a coincidence.”

The Farmers Branch Police Department was called to the store at least five times between February and October. But officers informed Clark that without clear evidence, they couldn’t make an arrest. Despite repeated reports to both the police and building management, the harassment continued.

The challenges BlackLIT has faced resemble those of other Black-owned bookstores in North Texas. Emma Rodgers, who opened Dallas’ first Black-owned bookstore, Black Images Book Bazaar, in 1977, dealt with numerous threats, including a swastika etched into her building.

“I treated every threat seriously,” she said. “I didn’t take anything for granted.”

Despite her resilience, Rodgers said she’s disheartened by the harassment that BLACKLIT faces today and the lack of immediate support.

“I don’t know why America is so threatened by Blacks being successful,” she said.

According to the African American Literature Book Club, there are about 160 Black-owned bookstores in the U.S. Many face similar struggles, from financial barriers to threats and harassment.

For Clark, closing BlackLIT is about more than shutting down a business; it’s a step to protect her family and the community she built.

“As a mom, I can’t wait for worse,” she said. “Like, it’s worse now.”

Farmers Branch police eventually issued her stalker a criminal trespass warning, and Clark has since obtained a temporary restraining order against him. The building’s management office told KERA via email that they have “moved to evict the individual but can’t act until the court issues a judgement.”

“What I don’t want is for anybody to say they didn’t know,” Clark said.

Now without the store, Clark faces an uncertain future. She’s considering moving back in with family while she plans the next chapter for her businesses.

Her commitment to creating spaces for Black literature and culture remains strong, even as she searches for a new location.

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