Tracy: Tastes and Tomes
Some of Tracy’s BincTank cohort with the owner of Mahogany Books in DC. From top right to left: Darnella McGuire-Nelson, Ramunda Lark Young (owner/founder of Mahogany Books), Rasheeda Rashada. Bottom right to left: Aminata Solammon, Tracy Ramey, Erica Wisely.
“You bring the tastes, I’ll bring the tomes”
From Educator to Bookmobile
Tracy Ramey describes herself as a “forever educator,” working with preschool-aged children for many years. During the pandemic, she began hosting Facebook Live story time, reading to students and community members who needed a friendly face and a comforting story. This sparked an idea: “How could I get books into the hands of children and families during such an isolating time? What if I had a bookmobile? Is that a thing?” She began pop-up bookselling in 2024, starting with the books she’d collected over two decades as an educator. Her first stops were flea markets. While the process was lonely at first, Tracy soon gained momentum.
Tracy’s pop-up bookshop at Bottoms Up’s View On Grant location
Finding Her Place in the Industry
Tracy’s literary roots run deep. She started as a writer, reviewing books for the American Library Association in 2021, and later worked in a local bookstore. It was there she saw the magic of indie bookselling: local authors stopping by, customers discovering new favorites, and a sense of collaboration instead of competition.
As the only Black-woman-owned bookstore in Columbus, Ohio, she has felt nothing but support from fellow booksellers. “That’s the thing about book people, it’s all love,” she says.
Through BincTank, a pilot program by the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc), she joined nine other booksellers of color in an intensive training on transitioning and starting bookstores. This program, along with the American Booksellers Association, helped her along her journey to start selling books.
Behind the Name
Growing up, books were everywhere in her home. Her father was always reading, and trips to the library were routine. She fondly remembers Happy Birthday Moon, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, The Secret Garden, Nancy Drew, and The Babysitter’s Club. Those early stories were influential and created a lifelong love of reading.
Her business, Tastes & Tomes, reflects her love of alliteration and her vision: pairing food and books as a way to nourish both body and mind. “You bring the tastes, I’ll bring the tomes,” she says. This has led to collaborations with other Black women-owned businesses, like Bottoms Up, a coffee shop in Columbus.
Curation & Joys
Tracy’s bookstore is intentionally curated, centering on historically marginalized voices: ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, neurodivergent authors, LGBTQIA voices, and those whose books have been challenged or banned. “I don’t need to sell the names everyone knows,” she says. “I want to buck the trend of books people already hear about.”
One of her biggest delights has been connecting with local indie authors. As a writer herself, she understands the joy and gratitude authors feel when their work is celebrated.
Tracy, her daughter, Cassidy, and hip hop legend DMC from Run DMC at the Dave Thomas Foundation with the book, You Should Be Grateful by Angela Tucker.
Advice and Looking Ahead
The early days can feel lonely.
Tracy suggests you, “Find your people. The bookseller community is supportive and willing to share what they know. You don’t have to do it alone.”
She’s working towards getting a vehicle to act as the bookmobile for the store. Tracy’s long-term goal is to create a nonprofit arm of her business to provide free books and food to marginalized communities. Her mission is simple yet powerful: access to stories and nourishment for everyone.
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Follow Tastes & Tomes to see where Tracy’s next pop-up lands, discover local authors, and learn how books can truly bring a community together.
