Black-owned Grassrootz Books and Juice Bar achieves ‘hidden gem’ status

Grassrootz Books and Juice Bar is going strong. It continues to grow its client base while being the first Black-owned bookstore in the state of Arizona.

Business owner Ali Nervis reminisces about the bookstore's inception while looking forward to his purpose and mission to foster a strong community at Grassrootz and create a thriving, entertaining, and educational space for African Americans.

As the Grassrootz Books & Juice Bar customer base grows, he's accomplishing just that. He's hosting guest speakers, such as Dr. Umar Johnson, introducing new events, and holding chess tournaments every month.

Four years ago, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he started his bookstore out of a hallway and then moved into a larger office space within the building. With little experience in the bookstore business, but with determination, he opened his online bookstore.

"When we launched, our website was getting flooded by orders online; it was madness," Nervis said.

He saw thousands of orders daily from customers and sold out of his top-selling books in minutes—his business model to cope with overwhelming orders. "Baptism by Fire," he said.

It was spontaneity at its finest. "We were selling books we didn't have but improvising them to get the customer what they purchased," Nervis said. He invested all he had in his bestsellers, which proved profitable, as he saw $20,000 in monthly sales during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the time of Covid has long passed, a fully-fledged bookstore emerged at 1145 E. Washington St., #200, in Downtown Phoenix

Despite having favorable reviews from existing customers, his quest for expansion hinges on overcoming the visibility hurdle. Highlighting the fact that the store currently stands on the verge of the "hidden gem" status,

"I believe what will set us apart and elevate the store is the programs we have coming, like the chess program we are continually building upon, poetry night, and book clubs." Nervis.

However, he wants to diversify Grassrootz's activities, saying he's looking to offer self-defense classes, CPR classes, and any other services that will benefit the community soon.

The bookstore also features a juice bar, specializing in smoothies and desserts, for customers who want to grab something quick or stay for a while.

Ali Nervis initially had no intention of opening a bookstore in downtown Phoenix. He planned to make his version of Walgreens.

"I'm a student of the people, our struggle, our progress; I'm a student of the movie," Nervis explained. As a community, we must absorb the teachings we receive and pass them on to the next generation to make it better. Or even his, for that matter.

This is why he felt compelled to open the first black-owned bookstore in Phoenix, Arizona.

I knew spaces for black culture to thrive were needed, and he said that was powerful for us.

The community-focused bookstore holds multi-functioning positions beyond just a retail structure.

Grassrootz Books & Juice Bar is a home where people can connect, share knowledge, and exchange culture and life experiences. It's a multipurpose community center where people of all ages read, eat healthy food, and socialize to help them feel connected, learn, and become a part of their community.

This value lies not only in the numerous business opportunities it brings, but also in the power it gives people to interact, enhance their quality of life, and ultimately create a better community.

https://azbigmedia.com/lifestyle/black-owned-grassrootz-books-and-juice-bar-achieves-hidden-gem-status/