The bookstore will transform into a public archive and community hub.
The oldest Black-owned bookstore in Kansas City, Missouri, will close its current chapter, but its mission to promote Black literacy will remain alive.
Willa’s Books and Vinyl opened its first brick-and-mortar store in 2007, but its owner, Willa Robinson, had been sharing stories with the Black community since the 1990s. Robinson sought out rare and antique books by Black authors, introducing them to local diverse youth and inspiring a love of reading…