Today, we’d like to introduce you to Corendis Hardy.
Hi Corendis, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey as an educator, author, and entrepreneur began at R. J. Longstreet Elementary (Daytona Beach, Florida) when I was in the sixth grade. Daily (after lunch), my teacher, Mrs. Ruth Pierce, would read wonderful, award-winning stories to us, like Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh and From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
Memories of this experience still warm my heart today, even though that was almost 50 years ago. Hearing stories ignited an insatiable desire to scuba dive into books; the deeper I swam into reading, the more I wanted to become an author and share my own stories with others. Thus, opening a bookstore was a natural progression of my love for learning and literacy.
Since 2017, Avant-garde Books has been striving to eliminate illiteracy, especially in the Atlanta Metropolitan area. We are not merely focused on selling books but “saving” the young, disadvantaged members of our community through education.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My daughter, Felicia, and I have often reflected upon and discussed our journey. Success for us has been like an exciting road trip—we’ve had to navigate bumps, accidents, roadblocks, unexpected delays and stops, traffic jams, heavy fog, and detours, BUT thankfully, we’ve still been able to reach some of the community business milestones that we set for ourselves.
When our physical location closed at the end of 2022 due to insufficient revenue, we increased the number of stories that we read for our Story Time Podcast. We are humbled to know that it has been streamed in over 40 countries. Fifteen percent of our listeners are in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada. About three percent of our listeners are in the Philippines.
We have also revamped our YouTube channel and produced several educational videos. We have covered a myriad of topics, including literacy development, such as phonics, biographies, and videos relating to science. We still give out books and now have monthly book fairs at the Mall West End in southwest Atlanta.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Avant-garde Books, LLC?
In 2017, Avant-Garde Books became the first Black, mother/daughter-owned bookstore in the world.
We’ve been told that we inspired other people to open bookstores. There are now at least 15 Black-owned bookstores in Atlanta, but when we started, there was only a handful. Moreover, new bookstores have been established in several cities across the Southeast region of the United States.
Some of the owners are still our customers. Avant-garde Books’ mission is to strengthen and support literacy development around the world, especially for children who reside in socio-economically disadvantaged communities. Our vision is to build a community of lifelong readers who constructively use knowledge to empower themselves and others.
While we have an online presence, we do monthly book fairs at the Mall West End (Atlanta, Georgia). We also produce and publish books for children of color that feature constructive messages and images about themselves. We have a Story Time podcast that is streamed in over 40 countries around the world.
In fact, over 30% of our listeners reside outside of the United States. We also have an educational YouTube channel that covers a myriad of content areas that parents, students, and teachers can access 24/7 without paying a dime. While we have a small social media presence, we have made a big impact in eliminating illiteracy, and that is what we are most proud of.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Our home now is Atlanta, and we love this city! While I was born and raised in Florida, I spent my summers and holidays in Atlanta after my parents separated. I was fortunate to attend and graduate from one of the best HBCUs in the country: Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University). After teaching in Florida for almost a decade, I decided to relocate to the city that has a special place in my heart.
Although my daughter was born in Florida, I am grateful that we returned here when she was eight years old, and she was able to meet and interact with successful Black business owners, innovators, educators, and leaders, something that is not so common in Florida. I must admit that I often dream about doing book fairs in other places, even countries, but Atlanta will always be our beloved home!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://avantgardebooks.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avantgardebooks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/avantgardebooks100/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corendis-hardy-ed-s-602b32a6/
- Twitter: https://x.com/Avant_GardeBks
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxtDczKFAGnBkpECH3kjziA
- Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/avant-garde-books
Image Credits
Avant-Garde Books
