09/19/2026
Get over to Black Art Plus today by 6!
After more than four decades of celebrating Black art, culture, history, and community in Central Ohio, Black Art Plus will permanently close its doors today.
The longtime Black-owned Columbus business has served generations as more than a retail store, offering artwork, books, jewelry, apparel, home décor, gifts, and culturally significant pieces that celebrate the Black experience.
The Sankofa bird feels especially meaningful in a moment like this.
Sankofa roughly means “go back and get it.” The bird is depicted with its feet facing forward while its head looks back, often carrying an egg, symbolizing the importance of carrying the knowledge, history, and wisdom of the past with us as we move into the future.
When I first walked in I was standing beside a woman, just taking everything in, when another customer asked if we were in line.
I said, “No, I’m just standing here by her.”
She smiled and said, “I’m just standing here taking it all in, from the first time I came in here.”
It was such a sweet little moment. More than 40 years of memories live in that space, and you could feel it.
A storefront may close, but what was created there doesn’t disappear. The art, stories, history, culture, relationships, and community continue with the people who experienced them.
