Black Pearl Books will close its bricks-and-mortar store in Austin, Tex., this weekend, KXAN Austin reported.
"We aren't going away," wrote owner Katrina Brooks in a social media post. "We are still in business and you will continue to see us in the community. In fact, we have author events scheduled this fall that you won't want to miss! We know you have lots of questions. We do too!... While we don't know what the next version of Black Pearl Books will look like, we are walking in obedience and know it'll be exactly what it's supposed to be."
Black Pearl Books is a Black-owned bookstore with a mission of promoting diversity, inclusion, and representation. It has operated a bricks-and-mortar location at 7112 Burnet St. since 2022 but dates back to 2019, when Brooks began selling books out of her home and at pop-up appearances.
This Saturday, June 20, will be the last day of business at the bricks-and-mortar store. Brooks and her team will celebrate Black Pearl's tenure there with a day's worth of festivities including a local author book signing, henna, live illustrations, and refreshments. The City of Austin declared Saturday "Black Pearl Books Day" in honor of the store's impact on education, representation, and free expression.