Liberation Station Bookstore, the inaugural Black-owned children’s bookstore in North Carolina, is relocating from downtown Raleigh shortly after its launch less than a year ago.
Established on Juneteenth 2023, Liberation Station initially set up shop at 208 Fayetteville St., situated on the second floor of the Efird’s building.
This cozy and vibrant space served as a hub for various events and showcased a curated collection of children’s books penned and illustrated by Black and marginalized authors and illustrators.
According to WRAL the owner is facing a number of threats.
“Unfortunately, we live in a country that has given permission to the nameless and faceless people to make threats and cause harm, emotional harm,” owner Victoria Scott-Miller said.
On Monday, Scott-Miller posted on Instagram that the bookstore will leave its space on April 30 after receiving “numerous threats.” Scott-Miller is a mother of two boys and said one concerning phone call mentioned her eldest son.
“Since September, we’ve faced numerous threats following the opening of our store,” Scott-Miller wrote. “Some we brushed off, while others included a disturbing phone call detailing what our son Langston wore when he was at the shop alone.”
Scott-Miller said she and her family took a break from operating the store for about two weeks after the threats started. She operates the store with her husband and 13-year-old son.
“We went away for two weeks just to breathe and process that the thing we had created for good was now attempting to be destroyed and taken away from us in some way,” she said.
Last year, Scott-Miller told WRAL News her children play an active role in deciding what books the store sells.
In response to the threats, Scott-Miller said she frequently changed operating hours.
“We’ve been strategizing within our means to avoid being targeted,” she wrote.
In January, Scott-Miller said she brought the threat concerns to the landlords of the building when they started showing the space to potential new tenants.
On Instagram they wrote:
We wanted to take a moment to provide further context regarding our recent decision, particularly in light of @NPR’s coverage earlier today. Since September, we’ve faced numerous threats following the opening of our store. Some we brushed off, while others included a disturbing phone call detailing what our son Langston wore when he was at the shop alone.
In response, we’ve been strategizing within our means to avoid being targeted. This has involved frequently changing our operating hours, generating content after hours, and taking turns between my husband and me to oversee the store. Despite the challenges, our bookstore has brought immense joy, and we’ve been determined not to become another headline of controversy. We’ve worked tirelessly to create a safe space not just for our community but for our own family as well.
In January, when another tenant approached us about a potential move, we reached out to our landlord to inquire where this information originated. When we explained our concerns about the threats we’d been receiving, instead of offering assistance, we were informed that our unit would be showcased to potential new tenants leading up to our potential departure.
This response unfortunately echoes the encounters we’ve faced since we embarked on this journey, one that has exacerbated since being downtown. The significance of our location cannot be understated, as it serves as a vital access point that we must carefully consider. While April 30th will mark our departure from 208 Fayetteville St, it certainly won’t mark the end of Liberation Station Bookstore. There is so much more work to be done.
With revolutionary love, literacy and justice for all. ✊????
“Because we’re in the business of children, we’re responsible for their safety,” Scott-Miller said.
Scott-Miller explained why she was initially reluctant to share her concerns.
“Part of the reason why we didn’t want to talk about this is because I didn’t want to become the face of another movement,” she said. “I didn’t want to become the face of another cause.
“I wanted to settle into this space with a peace that we all deserve.”
Scott-Miller said the move does not mean the end of Liberation Station, writing, “It certainly won’t mark the end of Liberation Station Bookstore. There is so much more work to be done.”
On Tuesday, Scott-Miller said the bookstore would remain operational until April 13.
“Afterwards, we will begin our move forward,” Scott-Miller said. “Any remaining inventory will be donated to literacy nonprofits throughout the Triangle.”
Scott-Miller said the bookstore would “go back to the drawing board to reassess and redefine what we will need in our next location.”
Scott-Miller described Liberation Station Bookstore was “everything.”
“It is a sanctuary,” Scott-Miller said. “It is a home. It’s church. It is your grandmama’s dinner table.”
Before securing its brick-and-mortar space, Liberation Station hosted pop-up bookstore events across the area.
We hope the book store is bigger and better than the first time.
