Mahogany Books comprises two well-known establishments owned and operated by people of African descent and is located in and around the metropolitan area of Washington, DC. Together with their daughter Mahogany, who is 16 years old, they are contributing to fulfilling the literary demands of readers nationwide looking for books written for, by, and about individuals of African origin.
Even though the Youngs had total expertise in the retail book sector for over 20 years, they went a long time without having a traditional storefront location.
They only operated on the internet, where they engaged authors, book clubs, conferences, and publishers to make sure books about Black culture were available to anyone interested in reading about it.
However, in 2017, they opened their first physical facility in Southeast Washington, DC. Two years later, in July 2021, amid the pandemic, they opened their second location in the National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Both of these locations are in the United States.
They have organized and conducted over 600 book events in and around the metropolitan region, as well as online, as part of their immensely popular MahoganyBooks Front Row series.
Their website proudly offers one of the deepest inventories of Black-themed books online, and they have become the bookstore of choice to highlight A-List stars, fresh voices, and local authors.
Their company was included on the Forbes Next 1000 list in 2021 after being recognized as one of the Top 100 Minority Business Enterprises in the Washington, DC Capital Region in 2019. The organization of numerous story times, financial workshops, author presentations, seminars, and various other events aimed at improving the lives of locals and visitors from further afield are examples of their commitment to the community. They have also given more than a thousand books to children.
Their tale has been so well received that it has been covered in numerous publications, including but not limited to Black Enterprise, Vanity Fair, Essence, Oprah’s O Magazine, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and others.
