Mendoza learned the book business working in community relations and marketing for Borders. 'There aren't very many Lakota-owned bookstores in the state of South Dakota, especially woman-owned, so (this new location) gives me an opportunity to put it out there that we're here,' she said. The new space is 'a hub from which her family runs a wholesale book business, Dakota West Books LLC, and online resource Word Carrier Trading Post, along with the brick-and-mortar book store and mercantile.' after four years in the Racing Magpie, which houses multiple businesses. In October, Mendoza relocated to 524 7th St. I'm forever grateful.'īird Cage Book Store & Mercantile has moved to a new location in the heart of downtown Rapid City, S.Dak., that 'gives Lily Mendoza more space to support education, advocate for other women, and promote Native American books and authors,' the Journal reported. It was at a Black-owned bookstore that I discovered Terry McMillan and James Earl Hardy, which led me to Toni Morrison and James Baldwin. I have a particular and special love for the Black-owned indie bookstores, where works by Black artists are showcased in ways that push back against mainstream marginalization or minimization.

The pandemic has unfortunately altered this, but I'm so happy that many of the independents have transitioned to virtual spaces and continue these necessary conversations and interactions. These sites become meeting places where one can listen to and engage writers and thinkers. Like libraries, indie bookstores serve a crucial role in the distribution of collective knowledge in the communities they serve. Indie bookstores are where my love for comic books (and thus my love for storytelling) was nurtured. 'I love booksellers! I actually used to work at the Scholastic Bookstore so I understand how challenging, how underappreciated and how rewarding the work of booksellers is.

The talented ribkins review