Sales Boost For Black-Owned Bookstore As National Chain Closes

The closure of a Barnes & Noble has led to a sales boost for this Black-owned bookstore in Metro Atlanta.

A Black-owned bookstore in metro Atlanta has received a sales boost from an unlikely source. The closure of chain bookstores in the area has now led customers to Nubian Books.

The community of Morrow, Georgia, located in Clayton County, began flocking to the independent shop after a nearby Barnes & Noble permanently closed this spring. Now, Nubian Books gets it shine as a local gem that can offer the same products as a retail giant.

The bookstore’s owner, Marcus Williams, opened the small business 25 years ago.

“I’ve had a lot of customers who are trying to find that Barnes and Noble on Mount Zion Road, so they’ve been coming to me and ordering books from me. So I’ve seen a spike in sales,” he told Atlanta News First. “There are still a lot of people who don’t like to read on the Kindles, they prefer to have a book in their hand.”

His growing customer base can order their newest reads, or find other ones, in the bookstore. This influx of customers was a longtime coming for Williams, who moved Nubian Books to the area after 2013. However, he plans to stay in Morrow for the foreseeable future, especially as his business “unless I hit the lottery then I’ll go somewhere, but other than that I’m going to be here for a long time.”

The website for the bookstore also offers African-American children’s books, as well as other merchandise to celebrate the store’s history. Nubian Books is not only a space to support local entrepreneurs, but encourage reading in the diverse Atlanta suburb. According to Data USA, Black people make up 69% of the county’s population.

Nubian Books’ motto, found throughout the website, symbolizes the mission of empowering this community: “Once you learn to read, you will forever be free.”