The Swoop

Jazzi McGilbert never planned to open a bookstore. A long-time fashion girl (from intern, to stylist, to editor), her love of reading had always felt like a hobby, not a career path. So how did she end up creating a beloved book store in South LA? Well, she didn’t exactly. Reparations Club is much more than a bookstore. What started as an ode to her late mother, grew into “a concept bookshop and creative space curated by Blackness.” The space has become a home to the community and the culture, with intimate events, books, beauty and music for and by Black people. We spoke to Jazzi about “stumbling into” entrepreneurship and the pressure that comes with running a business that exists to serve a community.