Detroit native transforms abandoned building into community bookstore in Bethune neighborhood

For years, an abandoned building sat vacant along Puritan Avenue in Detroit's Bethune neighborhood. Today, it's filled with books, coffee and neighbors gathering because of one Detroit native's vision to invest in the community that raised him.

The Howard Family Bookstore officially opened in April after two years of renovations, transforming a long-blighted building into a bookstore and café.

"I grew up in the neighborhood. I went to school right down the street, and I would pass the building to and from school," owner Jerjuan Howard said.

Howard purchased the property in 2024, but says the project was never solely about opening a business.

"Everything I envision for this store to be is community centered," Howard said.

That vision quickly resonated with Detroiters. Howard says roughly 400 people attended the bookstore's grand opening.

"Our grand opening had about 400 people, and it's a bookstore grand opening. That means something," he said.

The excitement reflects what Howard believed all along: the neighborhood was ready for a space that encourages both connection and learning.

"If there are books that are accessible and right here within walking distance, you can't miss it," Howard said. "I believe that that will, to some degree, push people to want to pick up those books."

The bookstore also addresses a larger need across Detroit. According to research from Wayne State University, nearly half of Detroit adults struggle with functional literacy, while only 12% to 15% of Detroit fourth graders read proficiently, both figures below state and national averages.

Howard believes investing in literacy and investing in neighborhoods go hand in hand.

"I believe that youth development and community development must go hand in hand," he said. "As you develop young minds, you must also develop the area in which they call home."

His commitment to the community extends beyond the bookstore.

Howard is also the visionary behind Umoja Village, a formerly vacant lot that has been transformed into an urban garden and community gathering space, providing residents with access to fresh produce in an area he describes as a "nutrition desert."

"It's easier to get a honey bun than it is to get an apple or an orange or something fresh," Howard said. "So we grow fresh produce over there."

For Howard, restoring the building was about more than preserving a piece of Detroit's history; it was about investing in its future.

When asked what makes him Detroit Proud, his answer was simple: "Detroit has me. I'm not going nowhere," Howard said.