A rebirth of the Renaissance is coming to Brooklyn next year, and it’s all thanks to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones.
The 1619 Project author is bringing a Black-owned literary salon and bar called The North Star + Bar to Bedford-Stuyvesant. In addition to being a sanctuary for Black writers, it is also a cross between a bookstore, bourbon bar, and a cafe.
Hannah-Jones partnered with husband and wife, Rotimi and Ayo Akinnuoye, who are owners of Bed-Vyne Wine & Spirits. DJ Johnson, owner of the New Orleans bookstore and cafe Baldwin & Co., is also a partner.
“I’m very plugged into the writer community, I’m friends with a lot of great writers, and wanted to be able to bring those writers into our community,” she said. “Whenever you have big book events in the city, they’re not at Black bookstores and they’re not in Black neighborhoods, so I really wanted to bring that to Bed-Stuy. People should expect all of their writing heroes.”
The establishment plans to hold writing workshops, book clubs, and author talks and performances. According to the website, Black-owned spirits will be featured, and together, Black writers and creatives will gather to “READ. DRINK. PLOT.”
The North Star + Bar will open at 339 Macon Street. This address once housed Macon Hardware. The business closed down in 2023 after being one of the longest-standing Black-owned businesses in the community.
Husband and wife Peter and Clara Hayes purchased Macon Hardware in 1987 after Peter had been working there since age 12. He built a strong bond with the store’s previous Polish immigrant owners, who took him under their wing. When Peter passed, Clara ran the business until she died in 2022. Her son Warren Hayes made the heartbreaking decision to shut down after his brother passed away, months after Clara’s passing.
He had no one else left to help him run the business.
Though the closure ended an era, Hannah-Jones has started another, one that will continue the legacy of serving the community. And according to her, Warren is content with that.
She told Brownstoner, “Mr. Hayes was very happy to be able to sell it to someone who is in the community and cares about the community and will create a great community space. I’m very much aware of the history, and very much honored to keep the building Black-owned, frankly.”
The property is a two-story building that will include a full bar and a kitchen on the first floor. The second floor serves as an apartment for visiting writers. They can lodge there, as well as host their readings and community events in the same space.
No official opening date has been set, but the website says doors should open in early 2026.
