Here’s a roundup of some news and events at local businesses.
Hakim’s Bookstore, Philadelphia’s oldest Black-owned bookshop located at 210 S. 52nd St., will soon be honored with a blue historical marker from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC). The store was founded in 1959 by Dawud Hakim, an African American scholar, author and publisher.
Throughout the years, the store has provided the local community with Afrocentric and often rare literature with a focus on African American history, culture, and racial justice. After Mr. Hakim’s death in 1997 at the age of 65, the business has been run by his family members. Yvonne Blake, Mr. Hakim’s daughter, is the current owner of the store (since 2013). For more information about Hakim’s Bookstore & Gift Shop, visit its website or Facebook page.
Lee’s Deli after the crash./Photo from GoFundMe
Lee’s Deli, the popular Baltimore Avenue business, which was forced to shut its doors in November after a U-Haul van had crashed into it, has unfortunately not reopened yet. However, the renovation work is in progress.
“Our goal is to try to re-open over the coming 2-3 months,” Lee’s co-owner, Scott Lee, wrote us in an e-mail. The fundraiser for the business has received an amazing response from the community, with over $40,000 raised since it was launched at the end of November.
The Green Line Cafe’s Baltimore Avenue shop has been recently remodeled, so stop by to check it out. This location in a historic building at 43rd and Baltimore, which is considered Green Line’s home base, opened in 2003. Since then, the Green Line has added several other shops around West Philly and in Center City (there are currently five Green Line locations in total).
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