Tag Archives: binctank

Binc Announces the Second Cohort of Its Business Incubator for Bookstore Ownership

Posted on by

Ten aspiring and brand-new bookstore owners from California to Florida were selected as the second cohort of BincTank, the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation’s business incubator pilot program to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-owned retail bookselling businesses that are physically located in their community. The 10 entrepreneurs, selected anonymously from a pool of 25 applications, will begin Professional Bookselling School in March. 

The entrepreneurs are:

Aurora Anaya will launch a mobile bookstore and California native plant shop in spring that transforms spaces into thriving literary and ecological hubs. A seasoned social entrepreneur and former owner of the renowned La Casa Azul Bookstore in East Harlem, Anaya is passionate about amplifying BIPOC voices, fostering community connections, and promoting ecological awareness.

John McGregor worked in book publishing for over 30 years as a literary agent and most recently as a bookseller. During that time, he conceived “Wrapped in Rainbows,” the “definitive” biography of Zora Neale Hurston, and spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives as a bookseller. He plans to give Harlem the first in class, general interest bookstore he believes the historic neighborhood deserves.

Darnella McGuire-Nelson is a lifelong resident of Alexandria, Virginia, where she serves on various boards and committees.  She uses her platform as a haven for safe spaces, promoting policies and programs that maintain safe neighborhoods, support minority-owned businesses, transform communities, and enrich the lives of the marginalized and disadvantaged.  

Priscilla Martinez is an Indigenous, Chicana, Latina woman. She’s been a community organizer for over 30 years with a depth of experience focusing on coalition-building, inter/intrafaith, civic engagement, and climate action. She is the founder and owner of West Side Stories, western Loudoun County Virginia’s indie bookstore, bakeshop, and coffeehouse.

Tamara Olmedo is an Asheville based Latina from the Bronx who discovered magic between the pages of a book at the age of 12. Since moving to the mountains of North Carolina in 2010, she has worked at various nonprofits with a mission to make resources accessible to everyone. When she’s not adding books to her TBR pile, Olmedo can be found around sharing books with her community through the Cuentos y Café BIPOC Bookstore pop-ups.

Tracy Ramey is an author, advocate, educator, and entrepreneur in Columbus, Ohio. She first had the idea to open a mobile bookstore in 2021 while working remotely as a preschool instructional assistant. She believes that everyone deserves a bookstore, especially those that don’t think bookstores are for them.

San Diego native Rasheedah Rashada is a well-being and mental health advocate and social entrepreneur committed to serving those under-represented and improving the community’s educational, health, and wellness outcomes. They have been involved in several community-based projects, including public health, arts & cultural, urban agriculture, working with formerly incarcerated youth and adults, and implementing programming in educational institutions. 

Aminata Solammon is driven by the belief that every young person deserves to experience the joy of finding a book that feels uniquely theirs. An Atlanta native by way of Oakland, CA, Solammon combines her passion for youth development, children’s literature, and fostering human connection to spark creativity and a sense of belonging in children and youth. When she’s not writing picture books, she enjoys exploring new cities with her husband and two children.

Selena Teems is the founder of Successful YOU!®️ Books were their first love and remain their favorite companions. They empower self-publishing entrepreneurs to unlock profits and showcase their expertise via coaching, training, and niche networks.

Erica Wisely is the passionate founder and owner of Reid Wisely Books & Brew, a children’s bookstore based in Rockland County, New York. Inspired by her journey as a mother to two biracial children, she created this community-focused pop-up shop to celebrate diversity in storytelling and amplify the voices of BIPOC authors.

Binc Announces Application Extension, Selection Panel for BincTank Bookstore Incubator

Posted on by

A panel of reviewers with a breadth of experience in the book industry has been assembled by the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation to select the second cohort of BincTank entrepreneurs. Applications will be accepted through Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EST., a one-week extension to the original application deadline.

Bookmobiles, pop-up stores and brick and mortar storefronts are eligible models. Stores that qualify are either not yet open or opened on or after July 1, 2024. Businesses interested in moving from one model to another, like a pop-up moving to a bricks and mortar location, are also eligible. The entrepreneurs and proposed businesses must be in the U.S. or a U.S. territory. An FAQ document with more detailed information about eligibility is also available for review.

The panel of reviewers:

Kimberly Brock is the adult book buyer for Joseph-Beth Booksellers; previously she was a master bookseller there for eight years. Kim serves on the Education Task Force and DEI Council for the American Booksellers Association and Binc’s BincTank and Program committees. Kimberly holds a BA in Liberal Arts from Xavier University in Cincinnati and is currently working for a Masters in Publishing from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. 

Rockelle Henderson’s career in the publishing industry, spanning over 30 years, is now centered on her role as the owner of Rock Inked, Inc., a marketing agency focused on developing strategic plans that maximize a book’s reach to its target audience. With her deep industry knowledge, Rockelle has recently expanded her focus by launching Rock Inked Literary, an initiative aimed at fostering and promoting more diverse storytelling in the publishing world.

Kalani Kapahua studied creative writing at Canisius University and graduated from the University of Denver’s Publishing Institute. He currently works as an inside sales representative with HarperCollins and was previously the store manager of Third Place Books Ravenna and has held committee roles with the Washington State Book Awards, Seattle City of Literature, and Seattle Public Library. He is a contributing reviewer at The International Examiner.

Hannah Oliver Depp is the co-owner of Loyalty Bookstores in Petworth, DC, and Silver Spring, MD. She holds a Masters in English from American University. Hannah is a founding member of the American Bookselling Association’s Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and serves on the board of Bookshop.org and as the president of the New Atlantic Independent Bookseller’s Association (NAIBA). 

BincTank reviewers clockwise from top left: Kimberly Brock, Rockelle Henderson, Hannah Oliver Depp and Kalani Kapahua. Coutresy photos

Binc Seeks Mentors and Subject Matter Experts for Its BIPOC Bookstore Incubator

Posted on by
Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation

The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation is seeking mentors and subject matter experts (SMEs) to support the 12 aspiring and brand-new bookstore owners from California to Florida in the first cohort of BincTank, Binc’s business incubator pilot program to support BIPOC-owned retail bookselling businesses. 

The 12 entrepreneurs will finish Professional Bookselling School in late May and Binc is working to have a pool of mentors and SMEs available by early June. As people sometimes learn better from those they share affinities with, People of Color–and allies–are strongly encouraged to participate. Those interested in being considered can complete the form. 

A mentor will be matched one-on-one with an entrepreneur for a longer-term relationship that provides guidance and support and serves as a source of motivation and inspiration. Mentors and mentees will be matched based on need and skill sets. A subject matter expert is an expert in a specific area or subject and is consulted to help solve a particular problem.

White noted that a mentor will be matched with each entrepreneur by early June but that the process is ongoing and those who complete the form to be considered as a mentor or SME may not be matched initially but could be contacted in the future. 

Binc Announces the First Participants in the National BIPOC Bookstore Incubator Program

Posted on by

Twelve aspiring and new bookstore owners from California to Florida were selected as the first cohort of BincTank, the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation’s business incubator pilot program to support BIPOC-owned retail bookselling businesses that are physically located in their community. The 12 entrepreneurs, selected according to predetermined criteria and anonymously from a pool of 48 applications, recently gathered for an in-person orientation and will begin Professional Bookselling School later this month. 

Eligible entrepreneurs were either working toward opening a store or had a store that had been open no more than six months from the time of application.

The entrepreneurs participating in the cohort are:

  • Courtney Bledsoe will soon open a Black woman-owned bookstore in Chicago focused on fostering a love of reading, human connections, and the sharing of ideas across backgrounds. Authors of color are at the center of the store’s work.
  • Aysia Brown recently opened Protagonist Black, an independent bookstore in Fontana, California, specializing in culturally diverse books and cocktails pairings. It carries a blend of fiction and nonfiction books for all ages written exclusively by BIPOC authors, with an emphasis on Black authors and creators.
  • Diana Dominguez recently opened Más Libritos Bookstore in Springdale, Arkansas, to increase access to stories of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities written exclusively by BIPOC writers.
  • Robert Eckman plans to open a bookstore in Belleville, Illinois, committed to the free exchange of ideas, diverse perspectives and experiences and supporting the community of readers and authors of which we are a part. The store will be in a geographic “book desert” that has suffered from systemic racism for generations.
  • Alma Guzman plans to open a bookmobile in southeast Los Angeles to amplify the stories of BIPOC authors and increase access to books in Spanish. Guzman currently works in bookstore operations for LA librería, a bookstore that specializes in literature in Spanish for kids.
  • Gwendolyn Henderson recently opened Black English Bookstore, a store in Tampa, Florida, that promotes reading culture, fosters curiosity, provides books to young readers through individual and corporate sponsorship, highlights Historically Black Colleges and Universities alumni authors, and “proudly liberates” banned titles.
  • Kenya Kirkman plans to open a bookstore in Brooklyn, New York, dedicated to nurturing the love of reading and learning in children from 0-12. The store will focus on books, resources and events that speak to the lived experiences and well-being of BIPOC families.
  • Ashley Mireles-Guerrero plans to open a bookstore in Fresno, California, to cultivate a community that learns to see beyond book covers and societal judgments by amplifying marginalized voices, prioritizing works by women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Disabled, Neurodivergent, and underrepresented authors.
  • Angie Nixon recently opened Café Resistance Bookstore, a community space in Jacksonville, Florida, dedicated to building a path to power for the Black community by improving literacy rates, decreasing health disparities, reinvigorating the village and improving the overall quality of life. She is the co-author of three comic books.
  • Ciona Rouse plans to open a bookstore in Nashville, Tennessee, to create authentic community by providing a curated collection of poetry-centric books & libations for those interested in liberation through literature.
  • Jay Williams opened Next Chapter Books in Detroit, Michigan, a neighborhood bookstore committed to offering affordability through a selection of new and secondhand books highlighting the work of local authors and authors of color, and to providing a space that invites human connection, nurtures a love for reading, and creates investment in our community.
  • Kevin Zambrano plans to open a bookstore in Brooklyn to advance social change through the access of literature to residents while simultaneously strengthening the local economy, amplifying Latinx voices and increasing queer visibility. Zambrano currently works in the publishing industry.
Members of the first cohort of BincTank, the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation’s business incubator pilot program to support BIPOC-owned retail bookselling businesses that are physically located in their community outside Solid State Books in Washington, DC, after an afternoon of visiting BIPOC-owned stores including Loyalty, Senkofa, Solid State Books, and Mahogany Books. Standing left to right: Angie Nixon, Kenya Kirkman, Rob Eckman, Ashley Mireles-Guerrero, Courtney Bledsoe, Kevin Zambrano, Diana Dominguez, Aysia Brown, Gwendolyn Henderson, Jay Williams. Kneeling: Alma Guzman and Ciona Rouse. Courtesy photo.
Members of the first cohort of BincTank, the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation’s business incubator pilot program to support BIPOC-owned retail bookselling businesses that are physically located in their community outside Solid State Books in Washington, DC, after an afternoon of visiting BIPOC-owned stores including Loyalty, Senkofa, Solid State Books, and Mahogany Books. Standing left to right: Angie Nixon, Kenya Kirkman, Rob Eckman, Ashley Mireles-Guerrero, Courtney Bledsoe, Kevin Zambrano, Diana Dominguez, Aysia Brown, Gwendolyn Henderson, Jay Williams. Kneeling: Alma Guzman and Ciona Rouse. Courtesy photo.

Applications for Binc’s Business Incubator Program Open January 8, 2024

Posted on by
Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation

Applications for the first cohort of BincTank, the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation’s bookstore business incubator program, will open Monday, January 8, 2024, and close Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024. The program will support new BIPOC-owned retail bookselling businesses that are physically located in their community. The application will be available at https://www.bincfoundation.org/binctank/.

Bookmobiles, pop-up stores and bricks and mortar storefronts are eligible models. Stores that qualify are either not yet open or have been open no more than six months prior to the time of application. Businesses interested in moving from one model to another, like a pop-up moving to a bricks and mortar location, are also eligible. Online only stores are not eligible. An FAQ document with more detailed information about eligibility is also currently available for review.

The first cohort will support 10-12 entrepreneurs selected anonymously by a panel of reviewers. The entrepreneurs and proposed businesses must be located in the U.S. or a U.S. territory.

BincTank will initially support bookstores and book retail outlets operated by historically underrepresented entrepreneurs in communities impacted by systemic racism. A three-year pilot program, BincTank plans to evaluate results and then determine how to proceed.

Binc continues to seek funding for this BIPOC entrepreneur focused program.

Binc Announces the Launch of Business Incubator Pilot Program

Posted on by
Book Industry Charitable Foundation

The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation is launching BincTank, a bookstore business incubator pilot program to support entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented communities who are interested in opening or expanding book retail services. Applications for the first cohort will be accepted in early 2024.

The program will use five areas of focus—capital, education, mentorship, peer-to-peer networking and resource material—to help participants create an attractive business concept, establish a strong organization, build lasting customer and community relationships, and maintain profitable operations.

Research finds that minority entrepreneurs are up to three times more likely to have a loan application denied and only 58% of Black business owners sought professional services due to expense, inaccessibility and mistrust, compared to 70% of white business owners. BincTank will help remove known barriers for BIPOC entrepreneurs—such as limited access to capital, peer-to-peer business networks, and investments needed. 

Known as the organizational safety net for booksellers, Binc was approached by key stakeholders in the book industry to assist with closing the diversity gap in bookstore ownership. Strategic Growth Group, a mission-driven organization with expertise in developing innovative and pragmatic business strategies, conducted the research and early funding was provided by Abrams, American Booksellers Association, HarperCollins Publishers, Litographs, and Macmillan Publishers. 

The pilot phase of the program will run for three years and will be spearheaded by Ken White, BincTank’s program manager. White has been a member of Binc’s board of directors, as well as the board of the American Booksellers Association and other organizations both within and outside the book industry. He has managed bookstores large and small; specialty (LGBTQ) and general; for-profit and nonprofit; and he has lived experience as a Queer or Trans Person of Color (QTPOC)  identified bookseller. 

While the pilot program will initially support bookstores and book retail outlets operated by historically underrepresented entrepreneurs in communities impacted by systemic racism, BincTank plans to open to all marginalized groups after the pilot program has been evaluated. Binc encourages all BIPOC entrepreneurs interested in opening book stores in their community to apply.