KANSAS CITY, Mo — Willa’s Books and Vinyl, the oldest Black-owned bookstore in Missouri, is closing its final chapter as owner Willa Mae Robinson prepares for her retirement. The beloved shop, a cultural cornerstone in the community, has been a beacon for literature and music enthusiasts for years.

In a heartfelt farewell hosted by the KC Defender, the event served as a final love letter to her customers and supporters.

“All of these books, all of this music, all of this art—dedicated to you all,” Robinson said.

Dozens, including Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, gathered to honor Robinson and her contributions.

Robinson’s passion for reading and music traces back to her upbringing in Arkansas, where her father, an avid reader, instilled in her the joys of literature.

“That was our life,” Robinson said. “That’s why I am who I am now.”

Will Shaw

However, it was the profound loss of her daughter and granddaughter that drove Robinson to fill a void in her life.

“I was trying to fill the fact that my children were gone,” she said. “And I was just collecting books, books, books, books.”

Robinson worked for the post office for 30 years. In the 1990s she retired and transitioned her personal collection into a public treasure, selling the books at festivals before establishing her storefront in 2007.

Will Shaw

“I didn’t collect all these books for them to be covered up somewhere,” she daid. “I want people to enjoy the books.”

As she prepares to turn a new page, she is passing the torch to the next generation. The store is set to become an archive under the ownership of The KC Defender, led by Founder and Executive Editor Ryan Sorrell.

Will Shaw

“So people from the community can come in for free and look at these rare books,” Sorrell said.”Being able to nourish that love of literature is something that is extremely important to Mrs. Willa. So that, I think just the Blackness, the Black joy, the safety that people feel being in this space.”

The store’s legacy will be preserved as a community hub and the headquarters for the KC Defender.

“There’s not enough that can be said about what she represents to our community,” said Sorrell. “She went through trials and tribulations. She overcame extreme financial hardships, gentrification, all of these things. She could barely survive being able to run this bookstore. But because of her love for Black people, her love for Black literature, she invested her entire life into this. I am again deeply grateful, I’m excited.”

Will Shaw

Advertisement

While Robinson’s retirement is bittersweet, she looks forward to writing a new story.

“I am going to miss them,” she said. “I just want to thank them. Thank them for taking they time out because they could’ve been doing something else.”

Will Shaw

The day also served as a final sale with attendees leaving with their own pieces of history.

The Missouri Fire Marshal’s Office says the state has had an alarming number of fireworks-related deaths and injuries from fires and explosions around the Fourth of July weekend.

Alisa Nelson talks to State Fire Marshal Tim Bean, who mentions some of the types of fireworks that tend to be the leading cause of these fireworks-related problems.

• Over 850,000 cars were stolen in the U.S. in 2024, a decrease from 2023.
• The Hyundai Elantra was the most stolen car model nationwide and in 21 states, including Missouri.
• The District of Columbia had the highest car theft rate per capita.
• The NICB recommends preventative measures like parking in well-lit areas and hiding valuables.

More than 850,000 cars were stolen across the country in 2024, down from a peak of more than one million in 2023, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. This equates to a car stolen every 37 seconds in the U.S.

But which cars are most frequently stolen? And how can you protect yourself from vehicle theft?

Here’s what you should know.

What’s the most stolen car in Missouri?

The financial website FinanceBuzz compiled a list of the most commonly stolen vehicles and models in each state using 2024 data provided by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

According to the June report, the most commonly stolen car in Missouri is the Hyundai Elantra. With more than 1,000 of them stolen in Missouri alone, the Elantra was the most stolen model in the U.S. last year and the No. 1 car stolen in 21 states.

Most commonly stolen vehicles across US

The NICB found that the most commonly stolen vehicles across the country in 2024 were the following: