The Black Reserve Bookstore opens

At a time when the digital world seems to be capturing most people’s imaginations, Anwar Muhammad is banking on the physical and enduring appeal of books.

Tucked away in the Dresher Arcade building at 319 W. Main St., Lansdale, the Black Reserve Bookstore showcases the selfconfessed bookworm and published author’s passion for the printed word, with an array of meticulously merchandised books, ranging from classics like “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou and “Soul on Ice” by Eldridge Cleaver to the Marvel comic book “Black Panther: World of Wakanda” by Roxanne Gay.

“I love the feel of books. I can’t do the audio or digital thing. I have to have it in my hands,” said the author of “The Written Mixtape Vol. One: The Awakening.”

The amiable Hatfield resident said that launching a book store specializing in AfricanAmerican literature is part of his lifelong journey as a voracious reader that began years ago in his native Harrisburg.

“The journey is that I love books. I’m an avid reader, which started in my late teens and early twenties, when I started getting into what I would call classics in black literature,” Muhammad recalled. “I did well in school, made the National Honor Society, all that, and went to Millersville University.”

With the literary seed planted through the standard route of black history icons like Martin Luther King Jr. and Harriet Tubman, Muhammad soon found himself eagerly digging deeper into authors “who weren’t quite as mainstream, like Richard Wright. What was fascinating for me was to read the actual words of Frederick Douglass, somebody who taught himself to read and read himself into the man that he became, and tying that into the history you’ve already learned … that was amazing to me,” he said.

One book that had a profound influence on him was Eldridge Cleaver’s “Soul on Ice,” Muhammad allowed.

“The one thing I got from that book was a quote that I live by: ‘You can either be part of the problem or part of the solution.’ That’s a powerful statement to me, because instead of talking about everything that is wrong with whatever, do something about it. I’m a big proponent of education, looking into things. And today in 2017, everything is at your fingertips.”

And for those desired titles that may not be at his customers’ fingertips when they visit his shop, all is not lost, Muhammad assured.

“The books that I have are exceedingly hard to get. We really do have something for everyone, as far as age groups, but if it’s not here, chances are I can get it. We also have a lot of children’s books,” he added, motioning toward “Chocolate Me!” by Taye Digs, one of the most popular children’s titles in the store.

The Black Reserve’s thoughtfully arranged inventory is not limited to books, but also includes jewelry, art, incense and attire, including Kemet Kulture Clothing and all manner of provocative T-shirts.

Muhammad first stumbled upon the Black Reserve’s future home after conducting a book reading at nearby Arnold’s Way Vegetarian Raw Café.

“I had already been thinking about opening an online bookstore and somebody showed me this space. And that’s when I felt that something needed to be done in an actual space,” he noted.

Before long, the hot pink walls of a former boutique gave way to tasteful neutrals that aim to soothe the senses from the moment a visitor enters the shop with the intriguing name.

“Maybe people don’t attach

the name to anything, but I guarantee after they stop in, after one visit, one conversation, they will ‘get it,’” Muhammad said, explaining that the name is a playful take on the “Federal Reserve” concept.

“Atmosphere is really important. I wanted to create something inviting that was visually appealing and I want people to feel comfortable here. I don’t want people to see this as Anwar’s book store. I want the community to feel that it’s their store, and that’s how a book store should be,” he said. “A lot of these books helped shape

me and I felt a place like this could be extremely useful for the area. I wanted to help expose people to things that changed my life. From a cultural perspective, if I wanted a certain book or item I was finding I’d have to travel to Philadelphia, but now people don’t have to travel that far. If you live in this immediate vicinity, come to the Black Reserve Bookstore.”

Muhammad recalled the fervent reaction of a young girl whose mother had brought her to the shop for the first time a few days before.

“The girl got so excited being

here that she was making a list of all the books she wanted. She had all this exposure to things she never saw before. And that’s what I’m here for,” he added. “Spending the day at a book store …that’s what needs to be brought back.”

The Black Reserve Bookstore is open Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit The Black Reserve Bookstore on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheBlackReserveBookstore.

GARY PULEO — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Owner Anwar Muhammad, right, at The Black Reserve Bookstore in Lansdale with his son Anwar Muhammad, who can often be found at the store greeting customers with his dad.