The health of a local, independent bookstore is often integral to character and vibrancy of a community. In Flint, Michigan, Comma Bookstore & Social Hub has offered a center for community connection since 2020.
The Black and woman-led space has garnered national attention. Comma Bookstore was visited by Vice President Kamala Harris during Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign, and the shop's owner, Egypt Otis, was invited as a guest on "The Jennifer Hudson Show."
Otis entered the industry in a nontraditional way, having come from an organizing and social justice background.
"As a Black woman, and living in Flint, Michigan, I just didn't understand how we just didn't have a Black bookstore," Otis said. "I believe black bookstores are really special in that they are very centered and grounded and representation. And I just wasn't seeing that in my community."
Now, four years later, Otis is turning to the same community that helped her open Comma to keep the indie bookstore alive. She recently launched a GoFundMe to raise funds needed to keep Comma going.
"It's not a lucrative business. I do it because I love my community, because I believe in the preservation of heritage and our culture. And I cannot allow for this business to go under."
Hear Otis's full conversation with April Baer above.
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GUESTS ON TODAY’S SHOW:
- Egypt Otis, owner of Comma Bookstore & Social Hub in Flint
