First Black-Owned Bookstore In A Decade Opens In Las Vegas

On Nov. 5, the first Black-owned bookstore in over an entire decade opened up in Sin City. Tamara Shiloh finally opened the doors for her own bookshop called Multicultural Books Las Vegas.

According to KSNV 3, the Nevada-based store located in the historic Westside Kingdom Plaza made its debut as a brick-and-mortar store where patrons can walk around and browse a wide variety of books. 

This is the second store that Shiloh has opened under the same Multicultural Books brand, with the first being in Richmond, California — providing its rich and expansive Black community with good reads. 

Shiloh partnered with co-owner Carol Santiago, who has the same mission as her to continue to foster an inclusive and educational space that is enriching for communities of all different kinds. Shiloh emphasized that her bookstore has something that sets it apart from your usual purchasing hub, and that’s a completely safe and inclusive space. 

She said, “There’s no comparison. Our bookstore, we want it to be a safe space for people to come, sit down and enjoy the books. I guess what sets us apart is most of our books are face-forward so that when children walk in, they see themselves, and they realize there are books written about them as well.”

She expressed to the news station that they have a wide selection of genres and reading levels so that everyone can find something for them. They have novels for sale, picture books, and chapter books for a wide variety of ages to enjoy. The website bolsters books representing “cultures including African American, Latino, Native American, Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern and Filipino.”

Not only do they exhibit different cultures, but they also have themes that discuss “LGBTQ, disability, diversity, social justice, STEM, Black history, African history, and Graphic Novels.”

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