BincTank
Binc believes that every community deserves their bookstore. BincTank is an incubator pilot program whose primary mission is to support BIPOC entrepreneurs to open new bookstores in underserved communities.
See our past press releases and information about BincTank.
BincTank Profile: Next Chapter Bookstore
Next Chapter Owners, Sarah and Jay Williams (either side) with BincTank program manager Ken White.
The collaboration and camaraderie have come from every direction for Jay and Sarah Williams, and they know they wouldn’t be in this next chapter of their lives with the doors of Next Chapter Books open without it. Located in Detroit in the neighborhood where Sarah lived as a child, it was one of the first BincTank-supported stores to open after a five-month pop-up in an old community theater affirmed the need for a bookstore in their community.
BincTank is Binc’s business incubator pilot program to support BIPOC-owned retail bookselling businesses.
“We’ve always loved visiting indie stores when we travel, and opening a bookstore has always been the thing we would do if we could do anything, but it was not feasible while raising a family,” said Sarah. That changed during the pandemic. “We started talking about it more seriously. Jay’s corporate job was getting more and more stressful and there was no clear path forward in our careers, so we decided to give it a try.” Sarah is a journalist who still writes for local publications and Jay is retired from the auto industry and finishing his master’s thesis in public history.
City leaders, encouraging community, family (they have three daughters aged 21-30), Binc, and other bookstores in the city provided the support they needed.
“We’ve had nothing but a warm welcome and graciousness from stores in the city,” said Jay. The couple noted that they go to each other’s events, and it was another store, 27th Letter Books, whose owners not only served as mentors but introduced them to BincTank.
“Being in the first cohort in and of itself is encouraging,” said Jay. “Seeing other stores was very inspiring and having access to organizations like the Professional Bookselling School and speakers.”
Sarah added that opening a store isn’t easy. “Bookselling is like swimming upstream. Being exposed to people finding joy and success is very hopeful. We were really touched that there is a desire to be proactively investing and creating diversity in the industry. We’re thankful for this investment and support.”
Next Chapter Books features new and used general interest books with a focus on Detroit and Michigan authors and poets. “We try to be a space that not only supports community and uplifts artists, but we love creating community,” said Sarah.” The Williams moved to the same neighborhood just two months after opening the store.
The couple is planning for the holiday season, pushing their own reading boundaries (Sarah gravitates to memoirs while it’s history for Jay), and always looking for ways to be in support of their community, asking how they can help or fill a gap. On their mind now is partnering to promote literacy and addressing a demand for last-minute gifts.
Not in Detroit but want to offer your support? Visit www.nextchapterbkstore.com, follow @nextchapterbooksdetroit on Instagram, or shop their store on bookshop.org.
FAQs:
What is BincTank?
BincTank is a three-year business incubator pilot program to support new BIPOC-owned retail bookselling businesses that are physically located in their community. The pilot concluded in late 2025 and Binc is evaluating the program and its impact to determine the path forward.
The first BincTank cohort had 12 entrepreneurs; the second cohort had 10 entrepreneurs. Between the two cohorts, 18 communities have gained a bookstore.
Why is the bookstore business incubator program needed?
Binc believes that every community deserves their bookstore. Bookstores are vital educational and cultural institutions for the communities that they serve. The program helped to remove known barriers for entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented communities with limited access to capital, business networks, guidance, and support. Research finds that minority entrepreneurs are three times more likely to have a loan application denied and only 58% of Black business owners sought professional services due to expense, inaccessibility, and mistrust, compared to 70% of white business owners.
What about Binc’s work supporting book and comic people?
Binc’s core program did not change. Binc continues to provide household-stabilizing emergency financial grants to bookstore and comic shop employees and owners to help with a wide range of life crises. The scholarship and mental health wellness programs also continue.
