Yvonne Blake, owner of Hakim’s Bookstore in West Philadelphia, does not condone the violence and destruction that occurred after a judge declared a mistrial over the police shooting of Eddie Irizarry, but she acknowledges that the circumstances are similar to the George Floyd protests three years ago.
While she could not open the bookstore at that time, due to the pandemic, she credits the social and political movement with helping boost sales with customers across the country ordering books to learn more about Black history and other aspects of the culture.