The shop must sell 1000 books by the end of April, or face closure.

A bookshop like Afrori Books is not simply a retail space. It is a platform, a cultural archive, and often the only place where Black authors are centered rather than treated as a niche.

As a Black and Brown author, watching spaces like this face closure is deeply distressing. When readers say they want diverse stories but do not actively support the places that champion those writers, the result is exactly this: the disappearance of the very platforms that make those stories visible in the first place.

If we lose bookshops like Afrori, we do not just lose a store. We lose access, discovery, community, and opportunity for countless writers and readers.

Afrori Books, an independent bookshop specialising in books by Black authors, is aiming to sell 1,000 books before the end of April to secure its future.

Founded by Carolynn Bain, British Bookseller of the Year 2023 and 2025, Afrori began as an online shop in 2020 in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests and growing demand for books by Black authors.

In 2021, Bain opened a physical store after a crowdfunding campaign hit its target within four weeks. Since then, it has grown into a nationally recognised cultural space and a platform for Black authors across the UK.

But despite its success, Afrori now faces a critical moment.

The campaign comes as independent businesses face rising costs and a challenging economic climate.

“This isn’t just about Afrori – it’s about habits. Independent businesses cannot survive unless people actively choose them. During the pandemic, people did that. Now we’re asking them to do it again.”

The business has seen a decline in sales over the past six months, particularly online, which accounts for a large proportion of its income.

Bain has deliberately chosen not to return to crowdfunding, instead asking customers to support the shop by buying books.

“I’m asking people to buy books, because I don’t want them to throw money at us and then forget us. Afrori is books on a shelf, but it’s also an opportunity to change the way people think – and to change the world. Books can do that. And Black representation needs to be part of that,” Bain says.

She adds: “Afrori isn’t just a bookshop – it’s a community. It’s the choir that meets here, the Black hair education workshops, the foster carers who visit for a cup of tea, and the people who come in looking for a safe space. All those people who find a sanctuary with us.”

Although based in Brighton, the shop sells books across the UK through its website.

“Afrori is about the whole of the UK,” Bain says. “It’s so important that people can go online and find books where they can see themselves – or a wider world.”

“If we close, thousands of Black authors lose a platform for their books, and the people who would have read those books will never find them.”

Bain also highlights the importance of representation in children’s books.

“All children want to see books that reflect the world around them,” she says. “Without us, where would you find all those books in one place?”

The campaign has attracted support from leading names, including award-winning illustrator Dapo Adeola, best-selling author Kit de Waal, and Selina Brown, named the UK’s first National Reading Hero by Queen Camilla.

Customers have also spoken out: “I can’t stress how important having a space like this is when facilitating spaces for people of the global majority to feel seen, safe, and welcome,” says Indie Foolheea.

Afrori has received several awards, including Brighton Business of the Year in 2024 and 2025, and the Business Excellence Award for British Bookshop of the Year in 2025. It has also been a finalist for British Bookshop of the Year every year since it opened its doors.

People can support the campaign by buying a book, purchasing a gift card, signing up for a subscription box for £16.20 a month, or sharing the campaign on social media.

How to support before 30th April and beyond
Buy a book: https://afroribooks.co.uk/
Purchase a gift card or subscription box
Share the campaign on social media
Website: afroribooks.co.uk
Facebook: @afroribooks
Instagram: @afroribooks
TikTok:       @afroribooks