The Urban Reader Bookstore in Charlotte, N.C., has closed temporarily while owner Sonyah Spencer works on moving the bookstore to a new location, WFAE 90.7 reported.
Spencer closed the store, which was located at 440 E McCullough Drive in Charlotte's University City neighborhood, on February 26. She plans to move to a more accessible storefront in a more walkable area of the city.
"I need to be more visible," Spencer told WFAE. "So, my goal is looking towards the boardwalk area where people are out and about. You know, the biggest thing people have been telling me is, 'oh, I couldn't find you. I couldn't find you.'"
In the meantime, Spencer will continue to sell books online and plans to start a mobile bookstore in order to reach more readers throughout Charlotte. She's also considering adding a cafe when she eventually reopens the bookshop.
Spencer originally founded the Urban Reader as an online store before opening the bricks-and-mortar location in 2021. The diverse bookstore focuses on Black authors and stories while also prominently featuring LGBTQ+ books and Spanish books.