September 15, 2024
Located in the Houston’s Third Ward, the small but mighty bookshop is a growing staple in the community.
Houston’s Kindred Stories bookstore has emerged as a go-to stop for high-profile Black authors to speak on their works for a diverse readership.
Located in the city’s Third Ward, the small but mighty bookshop is a growing staple in the community. Readers can stop by to peruse the Black-owned business’ latest offerings, while also catching Black celebrities hosts readings and engagements about their literary ventures.
According to Chron, Kindred Stories’ owner, Terri Hamm, opened its storefront in September 2021. She expanded its online platform thanks to the Project Row Houses’ Incubation Program. The program has helped Hamm scale her business in its early stages, such as providing a space to do so.
As for their growth in events and marketing, the store’s management attests that to strategic pitching.
“A lot of times, we pitch these events to their publishers for their books, because it’s always centered around their work, right? We’re not just booking random celebrities. It’s about the literature that they’re making,” explained the store’s manager, Chaneka Williams.
The bookshop has already hosted Insecure actor Jay Ellis as he recently released his memoir “Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just Me)?: Adventures in Boyhood.” Next on Kindred Stories’ schedule include media personality Rickey Smiley and multi-faceted entertainer 50 Cent, both featuring their memoir and crime novel, respectively.
However, it takes a village to bring these events into fruition. Luckily, Kindred Stories has developed relationships with local, and bigger, establishments in Houston to host these celebrity authors.
Williams added, “When we’re thinking about location, we’re obviously thinking about what type of audience that they’re gonna draw. But I think what’s at the forefront of our minds are the community partnerships that we have.”
Kindred Stories is not the only Black-owned and centered bookstore in the city. Other stops in the area serve different clientele, from comic book lovers to Texas Southern University students. However, Hamm doesn’t see the other businesses as competition, but a sign diverse stores are growing and thriving.
Additionally, the bookshop does not only host celebrity authors. They plan to bring other novelists, poets, and speakers to their spaces as they continue to serve the community.
Hamm emphasized, “We all serve different customers because Black folks are not a monolith, and Kindred Stories is not for everyone, right? And we don’t carry everything. So, it’s so great that people have options. And I think Black folks deserve all the options.”
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