Black small businesses in LA are closing. That means fewer safe spaces for Black people

The smell of burning incense filled the room as Asha Grant, the owner of the Salt Eaters Bookshop, greeted folks who entered to attend Black Queer Speed Dating, one of many events put on in the community space.

Attendees could grab name tags and enjoy a table spread filled with assorted fruits, meats and cheeses. To a visitor, the bookshop in Inglewood, California, is beautifully curated, with a memorial painting of Latasha Harlins, a Black girl who was killed by a Korean store clerk in 1991, contributing to the onset of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. The Salt Eaters Bookshop also hosts a community board filled with Black-centered events and businesses, and bright colors that catch the eye.

In Grant’s eyes, there’s still work to be done.

“People don’t know behind the scenes what it takes to keep a space running, to keep the lights on, to keep the A/C going, to keep the wifi ... , like all these things,” she said. “It’s a lot of output. I mean, it’s worth it, but also like these spaces that people treasure and love are usually run by like one, two people, really not a lot of horsepower behind it. So it’s like, yeah, I’m giving ya all that I got until the end.”

Since its opening in 2020, the bookshop has been hit with financial challenges, including the rising cost of commercial rent. A survey conducted by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies found that 32% of Black small-business owners reported facing issues with the increasing cost of commercial rent. According to a 2017 survey conducted by California Reinvestment Coalition, now known as Rise Economy, 54% of California smallbusiness owners reported that they often face displacement. The survey also reported that businesses owned by people of color often have to relocate due to landlords increasing commercial rent. A report by the National Association of Realtors found that commercial rent increased by 3.5% for retail spaces in 2023, which is higher than it was before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As Grant celebrates entering a new three-year lease, she worries about the challenges that will come with it, including the annual increases. The new lease has increased the bookshop’s total monthly budget for rent, utilities and general expenses by $500-$1,000, she added.

With commercial rent rising despite limited funds, Grant knows having a community space in the Downtown Inglewood area means bracing for the impact. “The development is so rapid, and it’s so violent,” Grant said. “And it’s