Nikole Hannah-Jones is hiring bar staff for her new literary salon in Bed-Stuy

Good morning and welcome to the very first edition of Bed Stuy Stoop

In this newsletter we’ll hear from Pulitzer winning Nikole Hannah-Jones about the dozen jobs she’s hiring for her new bookstore, bar and literary salon opening on Macon and Marcus Garvey, Annette Bening filming in Bed-Stuy, where to watch game two of the Knicks and how to get an AC unit.

Firstly, what is Bed-Stuy Stoop?

This is a weekly newsletter focused on the Bedford-Stuyvesant and Clinton Hill neighborhoods (many argue that Clinton Hill, home of Biggie, is technically Bed-Stuy anyway).

The plan is for it to be full of local gossip, small business news, interviews, events listings — and impactful reporting about gentrification in Brooklyn’s best neighborhood.

And I couldn’t think of a more perfect story to kick it off than today’s interview with Nikole Hannah-Jones who is building a Black literary utopia on the corner of Macon Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard.

“I was only ever going to do this in Bed-Stuy,” the Iowa native, who has called the neighborhood home for over 15 years, told Bed-Stuy Stoop.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist is currently hiring for a dozen jobs at The North Star, her new literary salon featuring a bookstore, bar, restaurant, and cafe that she’s hoping will open by September.

“Bed-Stuy is the center of the Black cultural universe right now — if you look at the sheer number of Black filmmakers, Black actors, Black writers, Black artists, who live in this one neighborhood.”

And she hopes The North Star, located at the site of the old Macon Hardware, will be a gathering place for those creatives, as well as bringing artists from around the globe to Bed-Stuy.

“I want people to get off their phones and be in community,” Nikole said.

Nikole is running the business with her partners Rotimi Akinnuoye and Ayo Akinnuoye, of Bed-Vyne Wine & Spirits and Bed-Vyne Brew fame, but she purchased the building herself. Property records show the building sold for $2.6 million in 2024.

“Buying the building is the only way to ensure you can remain,” Nikole said. Black residents made up 75% of Bed-Stuy in 2000 but those numbers have shrunk to 40% in 2023 data. “We talk a lot about the gentrification of housing — we are not talking enough about the gentrification of retail and third spaces.”

For two years she has renovated the space, a process she called “absolutely grueling”, in part because the outside of the building is landmarked. Everything has taken longer and cost more than expected, and she has no outside investors. But holding and maintaining Black real estate was crucial for Nikole.

“Ownership for me is critical for stability, independence, and ensuring no one is kicking us out,” Nikole said. “We are investing so much in this space. People will be in awe.”

The ground floor will feature a bar at one end, a reading room in the middle where food will be served, and a bookstore at the back, separated by heavy curtains. A cafe will run during the day — and a bar at night. Upstairs an apartment will house visiting authors (and another apartment will be available for rent, surely one of the most sought-after in the neighborhood).

On the cellar level are the restrooms, kitchen and a “very, very sexy” speakeasy that will be available for private rentals, designed by Nikole herself.

But while she’s been extremely hands-on in the creation of The North Star — and has her own office onsite — Nikole is looking for staff to to run it. Information about how to apply for the current roles, which include booksellers, baristas, bartenders and a restaurant manager, can be found on Instagram. Applications are open until June 30.

A non-profit called Iola’s Lyceum will run the programming for The North Star and will soon be looking for an executive director.

Nikole’s resume is one of a kind — she created the groundbreaking 1619 Project, is a staff writer at New York Times Magazine, co-founded the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, and serves as the Knight Chair of Race and Journalism at Howard University. But, this is the first time she’s become a business owner.

“It is the thing in my life right now that excites me the most, so much so that I obsess over every single detail, because honestly, I just need this space to exist,” she said.

From the menu focused on Black-owned spirits to the design, which honors Black writers and even Mrs Hayes, the former owner of the building, every detail is intentional.

“I want people to walk in the space and it doesn’t remind them of any place they’ve ever been — and immediately understand the care and the thought that has gone into everything they’re going to experience.”

For inspiration Nikole looked uptown, to the Harlem Renaissance. That includes the design — think art deco, the modern art period, elegant, gilded — and also the revolutionary art created during the Jim Crow era. She sees a direct comparison to today’s politics.

“People are hurting with everything that’s happening in our country right now,” she said. “They want a place of community, and a place that feels like you’re protected when you’re there. That all of the forces outside of us cannot penetrate this space.”

Often the clientele at restaurants and bars that have opened in Bed-Stuy in recent years does not reflect the long-time Black community. “There’s no sign out here saying ‘no one is welcome.’ So what are the non-explicit signals that a place sends that tells people whether they’re welcome or not?” Nikole asked.

She’s currently reading Unreasonable Hospitality, written by Eleven Madison Park restaurateur Will Guidara.

“I want people to be treated so well when they come into this space,” she said.

For Nikole, being non-exclusionary means stocking the bookstore with romance novels, even though it’s not a genre she personally reads. The coffee shop will sell a “bodega cup” of quality coffee at bodega prices.

“I don’t care whether you’re living in public housing or whether you just debuted your Hollywood film last week: everyone deserves and wants a place of beauty and intellect.”

She said so far she’s received an outpouring of support for the project, from people giving design help to offering to stack shelves of books.

“Every time I’m looking at how much money this place is costing me, how far past our deadline we are on construction, it helps me to keep going because I’m like people are invested in seeing this place exist.”

If you’d like to support the salon before its opening, you can contribute as little as $5 a month and become a North Star Conductor, the founding community of early supporters bringing the project to life.

Once The North Star is finally open, Nikole hopes the community embraces and protects the space — and fills it with joy.

“I hope people will come in, especially on certain nights, dressed to the nines and we are certainly going to party.”

And could a customer drink a bourbon poured by one of the country’s greatest thinkers? “You will absolutely see me behind the bar,” Nikole said. “I might even occasionally make my pound cake.”

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If you don’t want to be camped out all day for a spot at Fancy Free in Fort Greene, often a Spike Lee and Mamdani hangout— shout out to the people there on Wednesday night who had brought their own seats so they could sit on the sidewalk behind the bar’s gates — there are plenty of other spots in the neighborhood.

Athena Keke’s — the woman’s sports bar on Greene Ave is normally a home for the Liberty games but on Wednesday patrons convinced them that they should have the sound on for the Knicks game instead. They reached capacity and Bed Stuy Stoop watched the last 20 seconds of the game with others standing outside peering in the door.

Poise — the art gallery and record store at 271 Malcolm X Blvd have a cute set up with a projector outside and another screen inside. Free drinks until half time with a cover.

The Swan — The sports bar on Bedford Ave has been getting solid crowds for the Knicks games, was looking pretty full by 7.30pm on Wednesday night

Singers — Join our city council rep Chi Osse for an incredible chaotic screening of the Knicks games in the backyard of Singers, the queer bar on Kosciusko St.

Commune — The bar at Classon and Lexington is back open after health code violations shut them down temporarily last month (the food pop-ups and coffee truck remain closed), but there will be a screen and burgers in the garden.

Fulton Ale House — Seating is first come, first served. Minimum spend of $20 per person and because of the crowds they’ve asked for no kids or pets.

Or stay at home and order a Grandma pizza from Rocco’s — but get your order in early because they had 20% more orders than normal during game one.

The eastern corner of Bed-Stuy, particularly around Clifton Place and Franklin Ave has been full of a film crew all week working on 42.6, a romantic comedy about being cryogenically frozen starring Andy Samberg and Annette Bening.

Despite attempting to walk past it several times, so far Bed-Stuy Stoop spotted no stars, although two different security guards declared that Annette Bening was definitely there. Originally the film was to star Jean Smart from Hacks.

• Chat with Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights Assemblymember Stefani L. Zinerman at The Bush Doctor Juice Bar on Saturday at 2pm. Free ginger shots!

• Dinner Party, which moved recently from Fort Greene to Clinton Hill, is celebrating its 5th birthday this week. They’ll be serving hot dogs, potato salad and birthday cake from 3-8pm on Sunday — walk-ins only.

• After beloved music cafe The REP shut earlier this year, the owner Brooklyn Terry, a dancer and DJ, is hosting a party at The Goodlife Garden in Bushwick on Sunday from 2-8pm.

• Bed-Stuy Cleanups is meeting on the corner of Bedford Ave and Hancock Street at 10am on Saturday, and heading north picking up rubbish and cleaning the street until 11. They provide all supplies needed just turn up.

• All Night Skate, the skate-themed bar at 54 Rockaway Ave, is hosting a Housing Krisis drag show on June 10. “Our queens are doing what they love — performing, serving looks, and earning money to pay their rent. Every tip, every cheer, every laugh helps them move closer keeping a roof over their head!”

And that’s all for this week! Participate in the comments section, or support this work with a subscription, currently the low price of $5 a month or $50 annually. The newsletter is currently free — but expect that a combination of subscriber only content and free content will be available in the future.

Every month, 5% of all proceeds from subscriptions will go to a different local organization or charity. June will be Bed-Stuy Strong, the neighborhood’s mutual aid group. It is currently organizing its annual AC unit redistribution drive. If you need an air conditioning unit or if you have a working one to donate (or can help with delivery or troubleshooting issues), contact them through this form.

Got a tip or story idea? Email me or text the Bed-Stuy Stoopline (929) 274-1779 (save it in your phone and text us photos).

And finally, who is even writing this? You can learn more about me on the About page. We hope you join the Bed-Stuy Stoop community, by reading us and sharing it with your friends and neighbors, and we’ll be back in your inbox next week.