LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Native Son Bookstore was a staple on the Historic West Side.
The bookstore came to be, thanks to Sam Smith Sr., a Deputy Fire Marshall with the Clark County Fire Department.
Native Son Bookstore opened on March 4, 1991 on 1301 D Street.
It was the first black owned book store on the historic West Side.
The bookstore was filled with Black authors and sometimes Smith would leave money in random books to entice the community to read.
For 24 years, Native Son bookstore poured into the lives of an underserved neighborhood.
Smith died in February of 2015, the same year the bookstore closed its doors.
Today, 1301 D Street is now home to a church.
Smith's son, Samuel Smith Jr., carries his father's legacy and hopes to re-open the store someday.
