StayLocal presents Shopkeeper Stories: Black Star Books and Caffe, The Heart of Lil’ Afrika

What Black Star Books and Caffe offers doesn’t fit on a menu. Sure, there’s coffee and food, but you’ll also find art, music, books, life lessons, and even a business incubator. Owner Baakir Tyehimba created this space for people to enrich their lives through education, entrepreneurship, and community. We sat down with him to find out why he infused his coffee shop with so much culture.

Name: Baakir Tyehimba
Store: Black Star Books and Caffe
Since: Founded in 2010

What ignited the spark in you to start your business?
My wife and I started an African-centered homeschool to offer a quality education to students without burdening parents with tuition costs. To sustain ourselves while we did this, we decided to open up a business. We chose a coffee shop because it’s the type of space that brings communities together and creates an atmosphere where good thought and conversation flow.