Mis Amores Bookshop, a romance-focused bookstore and coffee shop, will open this weekend in Knoxville, Tenn., WBIR reported.
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| Mis Amores Bookshop's Anya Anderson | |
Located at 5331 Central Avenue Pike, Mis Amores will carry a diverse selection of romance titles prioritizing characters from marginalized communities. Owner Anaika (Anya) Anderson, who was born in the Dominican Republic and learned English as a second language, told WBIR that she plans to stock books in multiple languages and host classes in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language.
Per WBIR, Mis Amores is also the first Black-owned coffee shop in Knoxville. Anderson commented: "I don't want to take somebody else's shine away from them, but it feels huge, monumental, and it's a lot of pressure. I hope that I can bring honor to our culture and to our community and then also pave the way for other individuals like myself, and I think this is just the beginning. I think that Black-owned businesses are gonna continue to grow in Knoxville, and I cannot wait to see them."
Anderson explained that her family moved from Florida to East Tennessee following the death of one of her children, and once in Tennessee she wanted to create a place where people could gather, feel safe, and see themselves reflected in books.
Last month, Anderson launched a GoFundMe campaign to help her open the bookstore and coffee shop that raised more than $2,700.