MahoganyBooks was originally an online bookstore that specialized in books written by, or about people of the African diaspora. Not anymore.
A new brick-and-mortar MahoganyBooks location opened its doors this month, becoming the first bookstore to open in the historic Anacostia neighborhood (East of the River) in more than two decades. The store's owners are Derrick and Ramunda Young, a very busy husband and wife team who like to keep their eyes on the prize. The entrepreneurs started the Mahogany online bookstore in 2007, and it quickly became the fastest-growing online bookstore of its kind -- perfect for locating those hard-to-find books for and about African Americans and the global African diaspora. Location: 1231 Good Hope Road, SE, Washington, D.C. Hours: 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Tues.–Fri. | 10 a.m–7 p.m, Sat. | 11 a.m–3 p.m., Sun.
The owners will celebrate this milestone by hosting a "First Look" of its store for supporters and the Anacostia community on December 4, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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It is important that we create a rich, concerted space where readers and writers connect and discuss issues of yesterday and today that impact our culture and how we see ourselves,” says co-founder Derrick Young.And there’s a bonus! The shop’s first year will include an ongoing “Duende District” pop-up within the shop proper. “I love that it’s an African-American/Latino bookstore collaboration,” says Duende owner Angela Maria Spring. “These kinds of partnerships are what will make our communities even stronger!” Over the last few years, MahoganyBooks has grown from being exclusively an online bookstore to being the go-to bookseller for community book events featuring African American authors in communities ranging from Manassas, Virginia, to Baltimore, Maryland, and reaching as far north as Philadelphia or Atlantic City. Just recently, MahoganyBooks was recognized by emPower Magazine as one of their 2014 emPower Players for their efforts to promote literature as well as the support they provide to many notable literary organizations of the Washington, D.C., area, including Go on Girl! Book Club and the Hurston Wright Foundation. To visit their website, click here.