Pennsylvania bookstore owner creates cultural haven through Black literature

A Montgomery County bookstore owner is building a hub for Black culture and community through the power of Black literature.

The Black Reserve Bookstore on Main Street in Lansdale is a celebration of Black voices, history and resilience. Founded by Shaykh Anwar Muhammad in 2017, the shop has grown to four times its original size. It’s a gathering place for books, mentorship and meaningful dialogue.

“I tell people when they come in the store, when they get in the door, they transport to Wakanda, because it doesn’t feel like you’re in Lansdale anymore,” Muhammad said.

The bookstore hosts a variety of community events and regularly supports local entrepreneurs, including Maliq Harris, owner of King’s Corner Boxing.

“Shaykh—that’s my guy right there,” Harris said. “We’re family. We do a lot of things together in the community. I consider him to be like a mentor to me and a brother all at the same time.”

Muhammad has helped new Black families adjust to living in Lansdale.

“Mr. Anwar knows almost every Black kid, Black family around here,” School of Visual Arts student Joseph Banks said. “I like to call him the Black Santa Claus.”

While the bookstore has become a beloved part of the Lansdale community, its journey hasn’t been easy. Muhammad said he’s faced challenges ranging from backlash to vandalism, obstacles that reflect the difficulties of creating a culturally centered space in a predominantly White suburb.

“I’ve seen my fair share of small-mindedness, I would say,” Muhammad said. “A lot of people didn’t understand. They felt they didn’t know why there was a need for something like this, especially in an area like this, which to me underscores the need for something like this, in an area like this.”

Whether he’s mentoring local youth or reading to children, Muhammad is focused on the long game.

“I see the Black Reserve Bookstore as being an institution, something that will be here forever,” Muhammad said. “I don’t want it to be a blip. I want it to be something that continues and goes out to the future long after I leave the scene.”