Bring a Bookstore to the Southside!

The Noir Bookshop is a concept bookstore dedicated to the Black experience. It is the first Black-owned bookstore in St. Louis, MO, located on Southside. TNB offers new and used copies of Black and POC literature and items created by Black and Brown makers in St. Louis and abroad. It is a space designed to build community through its educational programming and product offerings and is founded on three pillars: Education, Inspiration and Community.

 

 

 

 

Retail is just one function of The Noir Bookshop. Each pillar TNB is founded on can only reach its actual capacity with a physical storefront. The Noir Bookshop will be home to community events, lectures, community service initiatives, and more at full operation. At its core, TNB is a headquarters for people to see themselves, learn about Black history and view the space as a beacon of what it means to experience a life of one’s best possibilities.

 

We envision The Noir Bookshop as a hub of activity for free expression, learning, inspiration and genuine community. We want our shelves filled with books across genres by Black and Brown authors, and we want to provide entrepreneurial opportunities to local authors and brands on a rotating basis.

 

 

In February, we hosted our first pop-up event, "For The Lovers," at Profield Reserve. It was a fantastic opportunity to engage with the community in person. The event was so successful, we were able to secure our brick-and-mortar at 2317 Cherokee St; and have been working hard to get our doors open ever since. Now, we need your help to pull together the last bit of TNB in preparation for our grand opening in June.

 

 

 

 

 

LET’S FILL IT WITH BOOKS!

 

As of today (4/20), the store is DONE. The store's build-out, major furniture purchases, paint and shelving are all in place, and it's a vibe! Currently, our founder finances the store out of pocket, and the most significant barrier to opening a business is cost. With the help of our “Foundational Donors,” we were able to secure the storefront. But filling an entire store is a much different story (pun intended!).

 

We are crowdfunding $18,000 in start-up costs to make sure The Noir Bookshop functions at 100% intended capacity. We are creating something for the community that has yet to be done in St. Louis.

 

Cost Breakdown:

 

Rent: $850 x 6 months= $5,100

 

Initial Inventory: $5,000

 

Operating Expenses: $5,000

 

Misc/repairs/furnishings: $2,900

 

Langston Hughes famously wrote, “What happens to a dream deferred?” The Noir Bookshop’s goal is to ensure we never know the answer to that question. Let’s make our dreams a reality.

 

 

 

ABOUT THE ORGANIZER:

 

My name is Ymani Wince, owner and creator of The Noir Bookshop. I am a writer, storyteller and self-proclaimed "grammar girl" from St. Louis, MO. Books and words mean the world to me, a passion I inherited from my grandmother. Since a kid, I've been a hungry reader, and I consider my gift to be sharing information with the world.

 

The idea for The Noir Bookshop started in 2018 when I journaled about creating an annual book drive. The idea stayed in my journal, but during the first year of the COVID-19 global pandemic, I decided to begin putting vintage copies of Black literature into the community. It was fun to pass the time and do something good with books.

 

Fast forward to the end of 2021. The idea for a concept bookstore in STL was confirmed by seeing other Black women opening bookstores across the country.

 

I was sold. I promised to dedicate at least one year of my life to bringing The Noir Bookshop to fruition. I am so glad I did. This experience has been the most rewarding venture of my life, and I am honored to serve the STL community for what I hope to be for many years.

 

The Noir Bookshop has been a labor of love. Since signing the lease in March, I have been exclusively in the store's space almost every day to exhaustion to make this a reality. Every coat of paint, every nail, and every piece of furniture was picked with intention.

 

I chose to name the store "Noir" for several reasons. In French, "Noire" means 'black,' so "The Black Bookstore" is the title's literal definition. But beyond that, 'noir' sounds mystical to me. When people think of TNB, I want there to be a sense of curiosity. What is it? What's inside? Books and what else? The possibilities are endless, much like what we choose to do with our gifts.

 

I hope you feel transported to Grandma's House, whatever that looks like for you. I hope you feel safe, warm, seen, loved, considered and inspired. I hope you feel the love my grandparents have given me my entire life, and I hope you never turn out the light.

 

I want to grow old in this space; I want to be a fly on the wall of your lives too. I hope to get to know you all, pick out books for your children, pre-order your favorite releases, throw unique events, and inspire you to live a life of your best possibilities.

 

Thank you so much to everyone that has helped me along the way. I have learned so much in this experience, and I promise to serve the community the way it deserves. Black people and our stories matter. They always have.

 

--Ymani Wince, "The Book Lady"