Black Garnet Books

Black Garnet Books is an independent bookstore based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, founded by Dionne Sims in the aftermath of the 2020 murder of George Floyd. Sims, a University of Minnesota graduate, began exploring ways to support Minnesota's Black community and discovered that the state had no Black-owned brick-and-mortar bookstore operating at the time. Her public expression of interest in opening one attracted more than 14,000 likes on Twitter and quickly developed into a crowdfunding effort. The crowdfunding campaign began on July 10, 2020, through GoFundMe. It raised more than $81,000 within its first two days and more than $108,000 overall. The funds supported the store's initial inventory and startup expenses, although they were not sufficient to build out a permanent retail space. Black Garnet Books therefore operated as a pop-up during 2021 while Sims searched for a suitable permanent location. A significant step toward a permanent store came through a Neighborhood STAR grant from the City of Saint Paul. City Councilor Mitra Jalali helped Sims identify the program, and Black Garnet Books received a $100,000 grant to renovate a location at Hamline Station in Saint Paul's Midway neighborhood. The approximately 1,800-square-foot store opened in October 2022, becoming one of the state's first two Black-owned brick-and-mortar bookstores. The store's merchandising strategy centers on adult and young-adult literature by Black authors and other diverse writers. By 2023, Sims said that every book stocked by the store was written by a Black, Indigenous, or other person of color. This focus gives Black Garnet Books a distinct identity within the regional bookselling market and reflects its stated purpose of using education, connection, and the pursuit of knowledge to promote self-empowerment. The store also deliberately positioned its age-range focus separately from Babycake's Book Stack, a Saint Paul bookmobile specializing in diverse children's literature. Accessibility has been a central consideration in the physical-store model. Sims waited for a location with an accessible restroom and no stairs, and the interior was designed to make movement easier for customers using wheelchairs. In addition to selling books, Black Garnet Books has hosted author meet-and-greets and community events, including speed-dating sessions and art fairs. Its community role also includes literary outreach: in November 2021, it launched a Bookshop.org drive to place copies of The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story in schools in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. More than 700 donations had been made by December 14, 2021. Black Garnet Books is consequently both a specialty retailer and a community-oriented cultural institution. Its model combines curated bookselling, representation of authors of color, public programming, and local educational initiatives. Publicly available reference material does not establish a corporate parent, public listing, current revenue, or a standalone official website URL.

Black Garnet Books emerged from Dionne Sims's effort to address the lack of Black-owned bookstore infrastructure in Minnesota. In June 2020, while researching ways to support the Black community following George Floyd's murder, Sims found that Minnesota did not have an operating Black-owned brick-and-mortar bookstore. An earlier Black-owned bookstore, Ancestry Books, had closed in 2015. Sims publicly described her desire to create a new store, and the response helped turn the idea into a funded project. A GoFundMe campaign began on July 10, 2020. It attracted more than 14,000 likes on Twitter, surpassed $81,000 by July 12, and ultimately raised more than $108,000. The campaign financed inventory and other startup needs but did not cover construction of a permanent shop. Black Garnet Books consequently operated as a pop-up during 2021 while Sims worked toward securing a long-term location. In 2021, Saint Paul City Councilor Mitra Jalali directed Sims toward the city's Neighborhood STAR grant program. Black Garnet Books received a $100,000 grant, which supported renovation of a site at Hamline Station in the Midway neighborhood. The permanent store opened in October 2022. The approximately 1,800-square-foot space was selected and designed with accessibility in mind, including an accessible restroom, a stair-free layout, and interior features intended to improve navigation for wheelchair users. From its inception, the bookstore was designed to emphasize Black authors and other diverse writers. Sims initially described the store as a place for adults and young adults, partly to complement rather than compete with Babycake's Book Stack, a Saint Paul bookmobile focused on diverse children's literature. By 2023, Sims stated that the store's entire inventory consisted of books by Black, Indigenous, or other people of color. The assortment therefore functions not only as a commercial selection but also as a deliberate representation and community-education project. Black Garnet Books has expanded its role beyond ordinary retail through programming and outreach. It has hosted author meet-and-greets, art fairs, speed-dating events, and other gatherings. In November 2021, it organized a Bookshop.org donation campaign for The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, directing copies toward schools in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. The campaign had attracted more than 700 donations by December 14, 2021. The bookstore is described as one of Minnesota's first two Black-owned brick-and-mortar bookstores. Its history reflects a combination of grassroots crowdfunding, municipal support, curated bookselling, and community programming. Public reference material does not provide verified information about a corporate parent, revenue, a public listing, or a current standalone website address.

• 2022

  Permanent store opens

  [1]Black Garnet Booksen.wikipedia.org

  The Hamline Station location opened in October in Saint Paul's Midway neighborhood.

• 2021

  Pop-up operation begins

  [1]Black Garnet Booksen.wikipedia.org

  Black Garnet Books operated as a pop-up while seeking a permanent location.

• 2021

  Saint Paul grant awarded

  [1]Black Garnet Booksen.wikipedia.org

  The store received a $100,000 Neighborhood STAR grant to renovate a permanent site at Hamline Station.

• 2021

  School book drive launched

  [1]Black Garnet Booksen.wikipedia.org

  The bookstore began a Bookshop.org campaign to donate The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story to area schools.

• 2020

  Concept and public launch

  [1]Black Garnet Booksen.wikipedia.org

  Dionne Sims developed the idea for a Black-owned Minnesota bookstore after researching community-support efforts following George Floyd's murder. A public post generated substantial interest.

• 2020

  Crowdfunding campaign raises more than $108,000

  [1]Black Garnet Booksen.wikipedia.org

  A GoFundMe campaign launched on July 10 and ultimately raised more than $108,000 for startup costs and initial inventory.

An independent, Black-owned community bookstore focused on representation, self-empowerment, accessibility, and books by Black, Indigenous, and other authors of color.

• Books · 2020

  Adult books by authors of color

  Black Garnet Books specializes in adult fiction and nonfiction written by Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. The selection supports the store's emphasis on representation, cultural understanding, education, and self-empowerment.

• Books · 2020

  Young-adult books by authors of color

  The bookstore carries young-adult literature by Black, Indigenous, and other authors of color. This focus forms part of its original plan to serve adult and young-adult readers while complementing local businesses focused on diverse children's literature.

• Bookstore services

  Community literary programming

  Beyond merchandise, Black Garnet Books offers a community venue for author meet-and-greets and other gatherings. Reported programming has included art fairs and speed-dating events, making the store a social and cultural space as well as a retail outlet.

• 2021The 1619 Project school book drive

  Minneapolis–Saint Paul area

  Black Garnet Books used Bookshop.org to collect donations of The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story for schools in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area.

  Outcome. More than 700 donations had been recorded by December 14, 2021.

  Source
• 2020Founding crowdfunding campaign

  United States

  A GoFundMe campaign funded the bookstore's initial inventory and startup costs after Sims's public call for a Black-owned Minnesota bookstore attracted widespread support.

  Outcome. The campaign raised more than $108,000 and enabled pop-up operations, though it did not finance the full construction of a permanent store.

  Source

• 2021

  Move from pop-up operation to an accessible permanent storeStrategy

  Background

  Crowdfunding supported startup expenses but did not cover construction of a permanent location.

  Action taken

  Sims pursued a Saint Paul Neighborhood STAR grant and selected a site with an accessible restroom, no stairs, and design features intended to improve wheelchair navigation.

  Aftermath

  The renovated Hamline Station location opened in October 2022.

  Municipal grant. $100,000 (2021)

  Source

• 2020

  Adopt a representation-focused bookstore modelStrategy

  Background

  Sims identified a gap in Minnesota's bookstore market and sought to create a space centered on Black authors and other diverse writers.

  Action taken

  The store was planned around adult and young-adult books, self-empowerment, community connection, and access to underrepresented perspectives.

  Aftermath

  By 2023, Sims said that the store carried only books by Black, Indigenous, or other people of color.

  Source

1. 1Black Garnet Booksen.wikipedia.org