BlackLIT, the small bookstore in Farmers Branch, celebrated its second anniversary last month with music, vendors and community. But beneath the festive atmosphere was a sense of certainty. Founder and CEO Nia-Tayler Clark had announced that the store would close its doors after just two years, due to months of harassment from a neighbor and ongoing issues with building management.

To many in the community, BlackLIT was more than a bookstore; it was a safe haven and a place that represented Black culture in a region where such spaces did not exist.

Seveyon Willis-Hill, a regular at BlackLIT, expressed the deep loss the closure signifies.

“This is a space that gives voice without speaking,” he said.

Supporter Alandria Ford said she sees the closure not as an end but as motivation to create more spaces like this.

“This is a space where God’s people can come and enjoy Black culture and Black literature,” Ford said.

Clark launched BlackLIT in 2019 as a subscription box service that includes a book with discussion questions, a T-shirt, and several products from black-owned businesses. The idea came to him after a student said they weren’t studying because they were black. Concerned about the impact of such a mentality, he created a platform to showcase books by Black authors.

“I didn’t want my son to be my student or anyone else’s,” Clark said. “I wanted them to start seeing themselves in books so they knew literacy was for them, too.”

The service quickly gained popularity, with Oprah Magazine ranking it as the second-best subscription box of its kind in 2020.

“I called my mom saying, ‘Mom, I think I’m on Oprah,’” she said. “I’m at work, sitting here looking at it.”

BlackLIT went from a few orders to several thousand orders overnight during the Christmas period. Clark says it happened so quickly, with so little help, that he was almost done. This has led him to open a physical store in 2022. The location was chosen with the mission to support other black-owned businesses.

“Where BlackLIT is now, the businesses that are open are owned by Black women,” Clark said. “We are surrounded by neighbors who look like us.”

However, opening the bookstore brought with it some difficulties. As a first-time store owner, Clark faced financial obstacles and a lack of support from building management. Problems escalated from late rent payments to missing basic services like hot water and air conditioning. Even after raising $40,000 from the community to cover the payment, the problems continued.

“(Management) honestly seemed annoyed to have to deal with this,” Clark said.

In addition to the financial burdens, some unwelcome neighbors also began to harass the business. Clark recalls a series of disturbing events, including a man entering the store holding a lease with personal information in his hand.

When the issue was brought to management’s attention, Clark said they acted unaware of the situation. Building management declined to answer KERA’s questions about their response.

The situation took an even darker turn when another male neighbor came into the store and began attending women-only events and approaching attendees inappropriately.

“We thought it was a disturbing coincidence,” Clark said. “But then it came to a point where we could clearly see that this was no coincidence.”

The Çiftçi Branch Police Department was called to the store at least five times between February and October. However, officers informed Clark that they could not make an arrest without clear evidence. The harassment continued despite repeated notifications to the police and building management.

BlackLIT’s challenges are similar to those of other black-owned bookstores in North Texas. Emma Rodgers, who opened Dallas’s first black-owned bookstore, Black Images Book Bazaar, in 1977, battled numerous threats, including a swastika etched into her building.

“I treated every threat seriously,” he said. “I never took anything for granted.”

Despite his resilience, Rodgers said he was discouraged by the harassment and lack of immediate support BLACKLIT faced today.

“I don’t know why America is so threatened by Black people succeeding,” he said.

According to the African American Literature Book Club, there are approximately 160 black-owned bookstores in the United States. Many face similar challenges, from financial obstacles to threats and harassment.

For Clark, closing BlackLIT is more than closing a business; A step taken to protect his family and the society he built.

“As a mother, I can’t expect anything worse,” she said. “It’s like it’s even worse now.”

Farmers Branch police eventually filed charges against the stalker, and Clark has since filed a temporary restraining order against him. The building’s management office told KERA via email that they “have taken action to evict the individual, but cannot take action until the court makes a decision.”

“I don’t want anyone to say they don’t know,” Clark said.

Now without the store, Clark faces an uncertain future. He’s considering moving back in with his family as he plans the next chapter of his business.

Even as she searches for a new location, her commitment to creating spaces for Black literature and culture remains strong.

Zara Amaechi is KERA’s Marjorie Welch Fitts Louis fellow working on race and social justice issues. Got a clue? Email Zara [email protected]. You can follow him on X @amaechizara.

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