Cindelle's Bookstore hosted a grand opening celebration last month for its physical location at 401 Watchung Ave. in Plainfield, N.J., occupying half of the recently expanded Queen City Coffee Roasters. Owned by Cindelle Harris-Blackmon, it "is the only Black-owned bookstore in the Plainfield area and the only brick-and-mortar bookstore within the city," Tapinto Plainfield reported.
Harris-Blackmon launched Cindelle's Bookstore as an online shop centered on Black voices and stories, and in 2022 she added her first free Little Library. At the time, she said she wanted eventually to find a bricks-and-mortar location. Last week she posted a video tour of the new space.
N.J. Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way recently stopped by, posting on social media: "Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of visiting Cindelle's Bookstore in Plainfield for Black Business Month. As an avid reader, it means so much to support a Black-owned business that celebrates culture, community, and the joy of reading."
Harris-Blackmon told Tapinto Plainfield that she had been "extremely honored that the Lieutenant Governor visited our bookstore for Black Business Month. We nerded out about English Literature, writing, and our favorite books....
"My life's work is to show Plainfield off in the way that I see my beautiful city, and being able to show the Lieutenant Governor a small upcoming wonder of this town was beyond exciting. Cindelle's Bookstore started as a labor of love for my hobby of reading, and it has now been embraced by my partners and friends at Queen City Coffee Roasters. I'm forever grateful for my hometown and the opportunity to meet and speak to Lt. Gov. Way."
On its website, the bookstore notes: "More than just retail, Cindelle's aims to be Downtown Plainfield's literary gathering spot where book recommendations flow as freely as the coffee, where authors can share their work, and where the community's reading culture can flourish both in person and online."