Promoting Our Heritage

Starting a business is a journey filled with challenges and opportunities. Although I began my business in another borough, moving to Lewisham 12 years ago significantly boosted its growth. The people and organisations in Lewisham have been incredibly welcoming, providing hands-on support that has helped my business thrive and achieve success.

Being a bookseller is no easy feat, especially when you can't stock every book people might need. However, specialising in books by Black authors has allowed me to offer Lewisham residents a unique opportunity to delve into Black history and culture. My favourite section is children's books, as engaging young readers in an enjoyable way can help them grow into better citizens within their community and beyond.

Our books come from major publishing houses as well as self-published authors. I cherish this mix because I constantly encourage self-published authors to incorporate the quality standards of larger publishers. Their books should stand out for the right reasons, showcasing the same level of quality and professionalism.

One of my recent challenges was distinguishing myself in a space filled with other booksellers specialising in books by Black authors. Despite my years of experience, I felt I should be contributing more. In early 2022, as I pondered how to celebrate my 20 years in bookselling, I realised there must be more to selling books than just the transaction itself. This led me to focus on the authors—the creators of the very products I sell.

Inspired by Steve Harvey's game show style, I decided to ask 100 Black authors three questions: What makes you write? What inspires you? What do you bring to benefit the reader? This exercise led to the creation of my first book, "Keepers of the Flame: Saluting 100 Black Authors Volume 1," published on 1st June 2022, followed by Volume 2 the next year. Through this process, I addressed several challenges:

1. Possibly becoming the first UK Black bookseller to recognise and celebrate 200 Black authors, many of whom I sell.
2. Inspiring readers and authors by offering a fresh perspective on my role.
3. Providing a resource for aspiring authors seeking encouragement and inspiration.

Being voted and shortlisted for Best Independent Business 2024 in the Lewisham Business Awards has been the pinnacle of my business journey so far. I aspire to do more for Black authors in Lewisham, and I'm planning to host a monthly author's evening at a local venue. Our first event is scheduled for 29th October 2024, and I'll use participant feedback to shape future events.

While I express my aspirations, I'm also humbled by the opportunity to use my knowledge to make Lewisham one of the best boroughs to live, work, and play in, with reading and the enjoyment of literature at the heart of it all.