Once again, the Memphis Flyer has taken to the streets (read: email) to ask Memphis’ booksellers what on Earth we should be reading this month. And, thank goodness, they’ve answered with recommendations that’ll fit on anyone’s bookshelf. Check them out below.
Black Roses: Odes Celebrating Powerful Black Women, Harold Green III Black Roses is a beautiful collection of odes crafted by poet Harold Green III and pays tribute to all Black women by focusing on visionaries and leaders who are making history right now, including Ava DuVernay, Janelle Monae, Kamala Harris, Misty Copeland, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Robin Roberts, Roxane Gay, Simone Biles, and many others. The collection features full-color illustrations by Melissa Koby. We recommend this book because it’s a powerful expression of love for women during Women’s History Month! — Jeremee DeMoir, owner at DeMoir Books & Things
Dance of Thieves, Mary E. Pearson Dance of Thieves is a fantasy duology with a strong female main character. The book contains enemies to lovers, forced proximity, found family, and multiple plot twists. It is masterfully written as the reader is entirely captured by the plot and never bored with what is happening. Although it is set in a fictional world, it is an easily followed story and the characters are realistic. This duology is similar to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, and I would definitely recommend it to any fantasy readers. — Maya Zelinski, bookseller and co-founder/co-leader of the Teen Writing Group at Novel
James, Percival Everett I only discovered Percival Everett last year and I’m now trying to catch up and read everything. He’s one of our finest and most versatile writers, and this new one is one of his best. Witty, wise, joyful, painful, important, and highly readable. I predict this will finally win him the Pulitzer. — Corey Mesler, owner at Burke’s Book Store
The Other Valley, Scott Alexander Howard The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard came out in February to glowing reviews, but hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention at the store if you ask me! Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro is an obvious and faithful comp, but while I have started NLMG more times than I can count and could never finish, I fell for this one immediately. It’s speculative fiction, sort of literary sci-fi, set in a world made up of a series of valleys — the same place, with the same people, duplicated over and over 20 years ahead of or behind the next, depending on whether you’re going west or east. Does this sound convoluted? I hear it, too. But trust me when I say it does not require any kind of mental mastery of its bent laws of physics to enjoy. The writing is so good I found myself rereading some sentences three or four times, just to soak them in. It’s a quiet, atmospheric novel full of big ideas that manages to double as a page-turner. Basically, my favorite kind of book. — Kat Leache, Social Media & Promotions at Novel
Thicker Than Water: A Memoir, Kerry Washington Award-winning actor, director, producer, and activist Kerry Washington shares the journey of her life so far in this bravely intimate story of discovering her truth. We selected this as it comes from the woman who changed television. Best known for portraying Olivia Pope on the ABC hit Scandal, when it premiered, a Black woman hadn’t had the lead role in a network drama for nearly 40 years. Kerry Washington changed the game and Scandal decimated the idea that a Black female lead would alienate audiences, proving, instead, that it would energize them. Why not celebrate such a powerful figure and share this powerful book during Women’s History Month? — Jeremee DeMoir, owner at DeMoir Books & Things
All books mentioned can be purchased at the respective bookstore locations. Support indie and support local. For upcoming book events, including book clubs and author signings, visit the Flyer’s event calendar.
Special bookmarks in the style of the event poster will also be for sale.
If you like beer, books, and nostalgia, you better book it to Soul & Spirits Brewery this Saturday for the brewery’s first-ever Skol-astic Adult Book Fair.
In case you didn’t catch on to the pun there, Skol-astic is a nod to those Scholastic book fairs from childhood, with the “skol” part being the Scandinavian word for “cheers.” “We wanted to recreate that feeling of being so excited to buy new books, but with beer,” says Blair Perry, who planned the whole shebang with her friend Mandy Martin. “We wanted to create an event that is very different than any other event in town and that is geared towards people who love books because a lot of times readers are kind of introverted” — and sometimes introverts want to be social, too.
For the day, Martin and Perry were able to get all the bookstores and book vendors in town to set up shop at the brewery, with each focusing on a “niche style of book,” says Perry. Friends of the Library, the nonprofit that supports Memphis Public Libraries, will sell used books; Novel will bring bestselling contemporary fiction while Burke’s Book Store will bring books by Memphis authors and a classics collection. Online vendors Cafe Noir (which is set to open a brick-and-mortar location later this year) and DeMoir Books & Things will sell BIPOC classics and Afrofuturism books, respectively. Plus, South Main Book Juggler will bring children’s books and YA novels.
“For every $10 that you spend [on books], you’re going to get to pick from the little freebie bags like you did as a kid,” says Perry, adding that every time you purchase a beer, you’ll also get entered into a raffle for a bigger prize. “Every 30-ish minutes, we’re going to be drawing a ticket for a free prize that our vendors have donated.”
The brewery is also releasing a special beer for the book fair. “It’s a surprise,” says Perry, “but I’ll say that it’s bookish-related, so something that you would enjoy drinking while you’re reading.”
Perry and Martin have also partnered with Amy Dobbins of Mint Cream Market, who has recruited literary-themed vendors and local authors to discuss and sign their books, while Paper Plate Pavilion and Tacos Mondragon will have food available for purchase.
And, don’t worry, there will be a quiet space for those who want to read (and drink) in peace in the Low Tones Room, which also happens to be where the brewery hosts its Beers and Books Club every first Friday of the month. “We don’t tell you what book to read,” Perry says of the club. “We just provide a quiet space for a couple of hours for anybody to come in and read.”
Skol-astic Adult Book Fair, Soul & Spirits Brewery, Saturday, August 12, 1-7 p.m.
Tired — spending your hard-earned money at a big box store or online retailer when there are a plethora of unique Bluff City businesses right there. Wired — putting your dollars to work in the Memphis economy by supporting a locally owned business.
Supporting a local business or artist means you’re less likely to be hit with a shipping delay caused by the “2021 supply chain crisis.” Even better, it means you’re helping fellow Memphians grow their dreams, and you’re likely buying something unique, maybe even something handmade right here in town.
Unapologetic’s one-of-a-kind letterman jacket, only available through a raffle (Photo: Courtesy Unapologetic)
Unapologetic Garments
Many know the Unapologetic collective through their prolific musical output, but there’s much work afoot there in the realm of fashion as well. The Garments wing of their enterprise has been creating casual wear and accessories for years now. Although the president of Garments is rapper A Weirdo From Memphis (AWFM), don’t assume that all the fashion is music-related. Producer C Major, who also has helped build Garments from the beginning, says their motto is: “Garments is not merch.” As he puts it, “We don’t want to be known as Unapologetic’s merch. We want Garments to be its own brand, like Nike or Adidas. Of course, we are going to feature our artists, but we also are gonna step away from that and be our own entity. It’s like a little brother, big brother kind of vibe. We just want to get out of the big brother’s shadow and step out on our own.”
Thus, you’ll find T-shirts, hoodies, caps, and bandannas in a variety of styles. The common thread between all them is a predisposition toward the unorthodox and a spirit of empowering diversity. As AWFM notes, “We definitely push that the clothes have their own identity, but we also want them to encourage people to be ‘U.’ Of course, the U is for Unapologetic, but we’re also creating clothes that help people celebrate being themselves.”
For the fashion line’s latest release, enter the third longtime member of Garments, Sarai, who has designed a series of T-shirts celebrating a taboo term for female anatomy. Garments’ “Vagina” products take the twin Unapologetic spirits of disruption and uniqueness to a whole new level. “I’m an artist also,” Sarai notes, “focused on sexual health and wellness — things people don’t always feel comfortable talking about. So with Vagina, I wanted to challenge that. Some people in the South are kind of closed-minded. If you talk about sex or anything, they’re like, ‘Oh my God, what are you doing?’ The line actually started off as a joke when I made it. But then it was kind of like, ‘Why not make a collection that says Vagina?’ And we built from there.”
But the three creatives behind Garments have other offerings as well, including something you don’t see in every hip-hop scene: a letterman jacket. “That’s a one-off, a special edition from our Keep Blooming collection,” says AWFM. “It was a collaboration. Sarai actually did a lot of the design legwork for that, and I made the blueprint for that type of letterman. And then we went all grassroots and got it together.
“I think that highlights a rough part of the fashion world,” he adds. “Cracking that unwritten code of where you actually get clothes made. It’s really hard to figure out where you’re actually gonna get that made in a way that doesn’t completely destroy you, while still trying to be a profitable company. So we’ve been figuring out how to blossom into a next-level brand.” — Alex Greene
Unapologetic Garments can be found at weareunapologetic.com.
Jordan Mays-Demoir (left) and Jeremee DeMoir of DeMoir Books & Things (Photo: Jesse Davis)
DeMoir Books & Things
When it comes to shopping for the bookworm on your list, one bookseller and entrepreneur knows just what to do. Jeremee DeMoir is a Memphian, educator, lifelong reader, author — and the owner of the Bluff City’s newest bookstore, DeMoir Books & Things.
The new store, which opened earlier this year in the Cloverleaf Center on White Station Road, is the embodiment of DeMoir’s lifelong love of books and reading.
DeMoir’s parents read to him in utero and continued that journey throughout his life. He eventually began writing his own stories as well and has authored more than a few books. As an educator, he worked to instill a love of literature in Memphis’ children. That drive to share his passion with others eventually led him to open DeMoir Books.
“I just had this inkling to feed the other half of me, which was reading. So I had to make DeMoir Books happen. I taught in underserved communities that didn’t even necessarily have access to a library in the community,” DeMoir explains. “I initially started out by donating books because I have way too many.” But donating books to libraries didn’t fully satisfy the urge to share a passion.
“I just absolutely love books, and I wanted to share my love of reading and writing with people, not just my students but people in general,” he continues.
DeMoir says the store gets regular foot traffic from White Station Middle, “and weekends are really great.” They also host game nights and biweekly movie nights, offer a loyalty program for customers, and have hosted book signings for local authors in the store’s event space. “That’s been a fulfilling thing,” DeMoir says, and as an author himself, he knows the value of seeing one’s work come to fruition. “People have come in and booked the event space, so they can have their own movie nights with their family and friends because of Covid and they don’t necessarily feel safe going to the theater. It’s been a great community spot since we opened our doors.”
That focus on community is central to the mission of DeMoir Books. As the owner finds himself repeating, everyone deserves a seat at the table.
“My background is in education, so I spent a lot of my years post-college teaching English and creative writing. So I’ll always have that literature background in the back of my head. Our goal as educators is to expose students to the world that should be around them.
“That gives a very limited scope,” DeMoir says. “The world is changing, and we have to change with the world and present new literature that can be not only all-inclusive but also meaningful to people. It’s super important to find stories that speak to the kid of 2021, the adult of 2021.” — Jesse Davis
DeMoir Books & Things is located at 739 White Station Road; (901) 464-0395. Find out more at demoir-books.square.site.
Moziah “Mo” Bridges founded Mo’s Bows at 9 years old. (Photo: courtesy Mo’s Bows)
Mo’s Bows
There aren’t a lot of 20-year-olds who can say the company they started is 11 years old. In fact, it’s probably safe to say that Moziah “Mo” Bridges, founder of Mo’s Bows, is one of the few people on the planet who can make such a claim.
“I started making bow ties because I couldn’t find any that fit my personality,” Bridges says, referring to his obviously stylish 9-year-old self. “I wanted something different. My dad was always stylish. My grandmother was a seamstress, so she showed me how to sew, and after that, I made my first ties. It didn’t start out as a company; I just wanted them to wear. But then when I went out to the mall or to school, people kept asking about them. That’s when we decided to start a company and call it Mo’s Bows.”
The ensuing decade was an exciting one. Consider: Bridges has appeared on The Steve Harvey Show, The Today Show, Good Morning America, 20/20, CBS This Morning, the Disney Channel, and the hit ABC show Shark Tank. Mo’s Bows has also been featured in O: The Oprah Magazine.
And we’re just getting started with the honors and accolades. As a teenage CEO, Bridges was inducted into the Tennessee State Museum Costume and Textile Institute in 2014. He served as the fashion correspondent for the 2015 NBA draft and was twice named to Time magazine’s list of “30 Most Influential Teens.”
And there’s more. In 2016, Bridges was invited to the inaugural White House Demo Day, where he met President Barack Obama and gave him a special “Obama Blue” Mo’s Bow. That same year, he was named to Fortune magazine’s “18 under 18” list of the country’s most innovative business-minded teens. In 2017, the National Basketball Association called back and formed a partnership with the young Memphis designer to make custom neckties and bow ties for all 30 NBA teams.
All this, for a guy who just turned 20 two weeks ago.
Now a full-time businessman, Bridges still counts Shark Tank’s Daymond John as a business mentor, but his mother, Tramica Morris, holds the title of “CEO of Mo” and helps handle the operation. The company’s five employees also include Mo’s grandmother, the woman who helped get it all started 11 years ago.
“I’m very detail-oriented,” says Bridges. “I pick all the fabrics and I’m involved in all the visual elements of the business.” He’s doing something right. Mo’s Bows are sold in numerous retail stores around the country. Business partners have included Neiman Marcus, Cole Haan, and Bloomingdale’s. “There are new partnerships with GoDaddy and the NBA,” says Bridges. “And a few more in the works that I can’t talk about yet.”
So let’s talk about fashion. What’s new at Mo Bow’s?
“Well, we’ve moved into fall, obviously, and holidays are coming up,” Bridges says. “There are some new plaids in fall colors, and some fresh seasonal and holiday-themed patterns. Our matching masks and bow ties will make a great gift.” — Bruce VanWyngarden
You can check out the entire lineup, including bow ties, neckties, pocket squares, and masks at mosbowsmemphis.com.
Grace Byeitima shows off the products available at Mbabazi House of Style (Photo: John Haley)
Mbabazi House of Style
Grace Byeitima, opened Mbabazi [EM-bah-bah-zee] in Memphis five years ago in the Broad Avenue Arts District. She tested her products in the Memphis market at pop-ups first. By that time, the original Mbabazi had been open in Uganda for 10 years.
The shop’s website features models of many races. It underlines Byeitima’s motto: “appreciation, not appropriation,” and she wants everyone to know that everyone is welcome at Mbabazi. — Toby Sells
Memphis Flyer: How did you come to open the store?
Grace Byeitima: Here in Memphis, we’ve been open for five years.
We started out in Merchants on Broad, which is also a store on Broad Avenue. He was renting out booths and that was a good place for us to start and see if people really — other than family and friends — were interested in what we had to offer. It turned out that they were. But we’ve had a store in Uganda for 15 years.
Tell me about your interest in African design.
When I was younger, I was really working with what I had. I admired colorful [and] different at the time. So, when I started so many years ago, I was sort of like a trendsetter. For my age, I never wanted to wear what everyone else was wearing.
I would always be like the odd man out when I started with African print. No one in my age group really was interested in African print. They had labeled it like “old people.” But I would get wraparound pants in the African print and would always just be different.
The colors really made me want to advocate more for the African print, with the people from my age group at the time,
What would make a good gift from Mbabazi this year?
Aprons [$35] are always a good gift for anyone and everyone. We do have some for little ladies and little helpers. Napkins [$12] are always a good gift to give because no one can have too many napkins.
What is the most popular item at Mbabazi?
If I say clothing, the Olivia dresses [$110] are the most popular. Away from clothing, I’ll say our fabric earrings [from $15] are a top seller.
Is there anything you want to add?
I know the word “appropriation” has been used. I feel like anything — fashion, food, culture — is supposed to be shared. Fashion is supposed to unite us as a people.
So, I came up with this line: It’s appreciation and not appropriation. When you shop with Mbabazi, you’re shopping local. [When you’re shopping locally] you’re appreciating the businesses and the people they work with. You’re not appropriating anything. So, it’s appreciation versus appropriation.
That’s a conversation that most people will [have], “Is it okay for me to come into your store because it’s an African [store]?” For me, as an African clothing store, I’m saying it’s appreciation. People are appreciating, not appropriating. So, it’s okay for anyone to wear our clothes.
Mbabazi House of Style is located at 2553 Broad Avenue; (901) 303-9347. Find out more at mbabazistyles.com.
