Brighton-based bookshop, Afrori Books, has been saved from potential closure after a successful campaign of bookselling. Carolynn Bain, who founded Afrori in 2020 in the wake of the Black Lives Matter Movement set a goal of selling at least 1,000 books by the end of April, fearing that otherwise the bookshop may not be able to stay open.
“People have forgotten about us a little bit,” Bain told BBC Radio Sussex presenter Kamilah McInnis.
Afrori, like many independent businesses, has been hit with rising overheard costs, a challenging economic landscape as customers struggle with the cost of living crisis, and of course, online retailers competing for sales. Bain was pleased though to announce that the bookshop had not only met but exceeded the target. Plus, a new Patreon was also launched to allow people with means to support the shop in other ways.
Sharing the news on social media, Bain said: “We are beyond grateful for each and every one of you that liked, shared, commented and bought a book. Your support truly means the world.
Adding: “keep supporting local businesses!”
Responding to the news, Aflo, a poet, activist and co-founder of Black Anti-Racism Community Organisation (BARCO) Brighton said: “Afrori did a smashing job of smashing their target of selling 1,000 books last month. The power of community can move mountains!
“but just because the month is over and the target is met, that doesn’t mean we should forget about Afrori and supporting Black authors… while it’s important to respond to urgent call outs, continued support is what will help to sustain the organisations and causes we care about, and ensure the good work continues.”
Afrori is the UK’s biggest supplier of books by Black authors, which can be bought in-person and online, but it is also more than that, Bain explains that it’s “not just a bookshop – it’s a community”.
“It’s the choir that meets here, the black hair education workshops, the foster carers who visit for a cup of tea, and the people who come in looking for a safe space. All those people who find a sanctuary with us.”
She adds that physical shops create a “safe space”, especially for people of colour.
“I’m changing the world,” Bain explains, “because that’s what reading can do.”
