Roderick Talley Sr. didn’t just open a bookstore โ he made history. R.D. Talley Books is the first Black-owned bookstore on the Las Vegas Strip, housed inside the iconic Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. For a city where Black people were once banned from staying, shopping, or gambling on the Strip, this is more than a retail milestone. It’s a statement.
What started in 2019 as a home-based publishing company in California has grown into something no one has done before. Talley relocated to Las Vegas in 2021, spent 15 months building his brand from a kiosk inside Meadows Mall, and eventually earned his place inside one of the most prestigious shopping destinations in the world. The journey itself is a masterclass in persistence and vision.
Inside R.D. Talley Books, you’ll find a carefully curated collection spanning children’s books, young adult, poetry, memoirs, romance, educational titles, and comics โ with a deep commitment to amplifying authors from Black, Latino, Indigenous, and diverse backgrounds who have traditionally struggled to land shelf space in major retailers. Artwork, posters, and novelty merchandise round out a space designed to feel welcoming to everyone.
Talley hopes his store will encourage other diverse and unique shops to open on the Strip, sending a clear message: there are no places too big for you. FOX5 Vegas
That message is long overdue โ and it’s now on the Vegas Strip for the world to see.
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