Books selected with purpose
Discover Black stories, history, imagination and ideas, including books that may not appear on the usual lists.
Rooted in Culture. Brewing the Future.
About Akoma Coffee & Books
About Akoma Coffee & Books
A place built from books, culture and community.
Akoma Coffee & Books is a Black-owned bookstore, coffee house and gathering place inside Priví Stonecrest. Come for a book, settle in with a cup and find a place where conversation still matters.
How we got here
The name changed. The purpose continued.
Akoma carries forward years of work that began with Black Dot Cultural Center: making room for Black books, ideas, culture and community connection.
What began as a cultural center grew into a new kind of gathering place inside Priví at Stonecrest.
The bookstore, coffee bar and community space now live together under one name: Akoma, a place where people can discover meaningful books, enjoy good coffee, exchange ideas and feel that they belong.
A third place with purpose
More than somewhere to stop.
Akoma is the place between home and work where people can slow down and reconnect. Families discover books together. Neighbors meet over coffee. Entrepreneurs work through an idea. Community groups gather for conversations that deserve room.
Coffee that invites conversation
Begin with the flavors you already enjoy, try something new and stay long enough for a real conversation.
Events that bring people together
Join book signings, community conversations and gatherings created to connect people through shared interests.
The work behind the place
Kazemde Ajamu
Kazemde Ajamu is an author, bookseller, publisher, cultural strategist and community leader. His experience shapes how Akoma selects books, welcomes conversation and helps people move from an idea toward informed action.
This page tells the story of Akoma. His full biography carries the deeper story of the work, writing and community experience behind it.
Recognized beyond our community
Build with purpose. Learn by doing.
In 2024, the American Booksellers Association invited Kazemde Ajamu to its Winter Institute in Cincinnati to share Black Dot’s experience launching and shaping its IndieCommerce website.
That invitation reflected an approach that still guides Akoma: build something useful, learn from the work and share what may help someone else.
The meaning of Akoma
The heart.
Akoma is a traditional Adinkra symbol created by the Asante people of present-day Ghana. It represents love, patience, endurance, tolerance and faithfulness. The Akan expression Nya akoma means “take heart,” an invitation to remain patient and steadfast through difficult times.
Come experience Akoma
Find your place here.
Browse the shelves, order a cup, meet someone new or give yourself time to think. Akoma is inside Priví at Stonecrest, and there is room for you.
Where Every Sip Tells a Story
Akoma Coffee House
The café is the heartbeat of Akoma. Our coffee is brewed with care. Our teas and specialty drinks are steeped in cultural depth. Seasonal offerings are crafted to warm and nourish. Whether you’re here with a book, meeting a friend, or joining a gathering, every cup is an open door to connection.
Stories That Reflect Us
Akoma Books
Our shelves reflect the full range of Black life, from bestselling fiction and romance to memoir, history, children’s books, timeless classics and imagined futures.
Shop our current selections online, order a book for delivery or pickup, or visit us inside Priví at Stonecrest.
More Than a Cultural Center
Events. Workshops. Networking.
Akoma is alive with conversation, creativity, and culture. We host author talks, live music, workshops, lectures, and gatherings that bring people together in powerful ways. You might meet a future business partner at a poetry night or exchange ideas with a neighbor over coffee. From small healing circles to large community celebrations, each event is curated to spark thought and strengthen connections.
With Privi Stonecrest expanding its late-night hours, we’ll also be adding more evening programs and cultural events to keep the energy going after dark.
Akoma Means Heart
This is the Heart of the Community.
“Akoma” is an Adinkra symbol from Ghana representing patience, endurance, love, and unity. These values guide us daily. We lead with love, act with intention, and believe in the power of building together.
Whether you’ve been with us since the Black Dot days or are just finding us now, thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s keep building one book, one cup, and one conversation at a time!