SL_1221_Entrepreneurs - FINAL_Profile ( Dept . ) 12 / 28 / 21 10 : 40 AM Page 3 T H R O U G H T H I C K A N D T H I N : F A M I L Y - R U N B U S I N E S S E S pretty much everything , every minute , “ What people need to understand is “ We’re able to build relationships with every hour . ” that Black people have been taught about clients and staff because we’re approach - white culture their entire existence , ” he con - able , ” Dr . Will adds . “ We want to foster a ‘ Spark the Mind ’ tinues . “ Not only is there another side , [ but ] supportive environment because we want GROWING UP , SHAYKH ANWAR MUHAMMAD TURNED TO the other side is very cool . You have to step to be a place where people are happy to THE WRITTEN WORD so that he might be trans - outside of your comfort zone — if not for work and who care for staff and clients like ported . ourselves , we have to for our children . ” family . ” “ Literature , growing up , was my Today , The Black Reserve hosts a vari - escape — how I traveled to get away from ety of programming geared toward facili - ‘ You Control Your Own Destiny ’ things and see things I thought I’d never get tating discussion . Muhammad refers to the JACE KIEFFER “ GREW UP IN THE BUSINESS , ” refer - to see , ” he shares , noting his childhood store as “ a safe place . ” ring to Kieffer’s Appliances ( kieffers.com ) favorites included writers such as Richard “ Teens come in and talk to me about in Lansdale . As a kid , he played video Wright , Paul Laurence Dunbar , and everything , ” he says . “ I’ve become a hub games in the back of the store during Langston Hughes . “ I was drawn to their of information . Due to my background , I summers . He moved on to cleaning appli - experience and male perspective . ” get to help a lot and help people process ances , and then worked with the delivery Today , as the proprietor of The Black their feelings and thoughts on things . ” trucks , filing , and more . Today , he is vice Reserve Bookstore ( theblackreservebook - Paraphrasing the words of another president and the fourth generation of store.com ) in Lansdale , he aspires to inspire poet who profoundly impacted his life , Kieffers to lead the 104 - year - old business . readers of all ages to explore the vastness of Tupac Shakur , Muhammad says , “ I may Black culture through art and literature . not change the world , but I guarantee that “ When forming a relationship , if you I’m going to spark the mind of the person want it to bloom , blossom , and be amaz - that will . ” ing , it takes a mutual exchange of informa - tion , ” Muhammad shares . “ For so long , ‘ Fight the Good Fight ’ American history , and world history , FOUNDED BY WILLIAM J . BROWN , V.M.D . , IN THE 1950S , period , have shared a one - sided story . I then taken over by his daughter , Nancy O . don’t think many people have a connec - Brown , V.M.D . , in 1983 , Hickory Veterinary tion to Black literature as a whole . People Hospital ( hickoryvet.com ) is under its third come through this door with all kinds of generation of family ownership . Nancy’s questions , and when they look into it , get son , William J . Kay Jr . , V.M.D . , DACVIM — involved with it , they fall in love . known as Dr . Will — and his wife , Tiffany “ When I first told people I was going to Kay , V.M.D . — known as Dr . Tiffany — took JACE KIEFFER open a bookstore focusing on Black litera - over the practice in 2020 . ( RIGHT ) , WITH HIS ture , people thought I was out of my mind , ” “ I grew up on the property , ” Dr . Will FATHER , JOHN he continues . “ But I said , ‘ I’m crazy like a says of the Plymouth Meeting - based enter - fox , ’ because this literature is for everyone . prise . “ I felt like this was what I was sup - “ It was pretty cool to work side by side The shop lends [ itself ] to exposure , and posed to be doing . ” with my father every day , ” he shares . “ We wouldn’t that help relationships get better ? ” The duo met in veterinary school and have differing personalities , and we both Since opening the shop in 2017 , married shortly after their graduation . Just love a good fight , but I learned so much Muhammad , himself a published author , as Dr . Will had the opportunity to grow up from him . Every day I learned something says many of his customers visit regularly . in the business , his children will , too . new . ” He considers many of them extended “ As soon as our kids are able to come One of the most important lessons family . into the clinic and help , I would love for this centered on the value of hard work . “ Parents come in and say , ‘ My teenage to inspire them , ” says Dr . Tiffany , who “ The No . 1 thing I gained from my par - son doesn’t want to read , ’ and I say , ‘ If you shares that she’s wanted to be a veterinar - ents involving me in the business growing expose him to different things , he will ian from the age of 10 . “ I would love for us up was work ethic , ” he says . “ You control leave here with a book that is something to continue this with them if they end up your own destiny when you own a busi - he wants to read . ’ When that light comes loving it as well . ” ness , and the amount of work you put in on , that’s magical . ” In a world where many independent determines what you’re gonna get out of it . ” Muhammad has a background in veterinary practices are being bought by Treating customers and employees like n . counseling and roughly 15 years of experi - corporate entities , Dr . Will seeks to “ fight family has been a key to the store’s endur - inso ence working with adjudicated youth . He the good fight ” as a family - owned alterna - ing success , Jace says . A father himself , Rob still aims to uplift and empower young tive for those looking for more personalized Jace hopes his children will embrace those Jody people , both in his shop as well as with his attention for their animal . The practice’s same values — hard work and integrity — by o eight children . t well - established reputation certainly helps . that have meant so much to the Kieffer pho “ I have a rule in my store , and that is : “ We still have clients from Will’s grand - family over the years . ces There’s no such thing as a stupid ques - father that come in , and people who went “ Growing up , I didn’t see what it plian tion , ” he says . “ I used to work with chil - to his mom for years , ” meant to be able to continue a family busi - Dr . Tiffany says . “ I Ap ’ s dren when I was younger and was very ness that’s been around for 100 years , ” he have no relation to those previous practi - effer careful about the things I would say to says . “ Looking back , I hope I can instill tioners , but when clients appreciate that I’m Ki e : them . I’d rather have someone ask a that in my kids . If my kids inherit my work ques - ‘ the daughter - in - law , ’ it makes them feel Abov ? ethic , I’m a happy dad . ” tion than do something out of ignorance . more connected to the practice . ” 1 8 | S U B U R B A N L I F E M A G A Z I N E | V O L U M E 1 3 I S S U E 4 | S U B U R B A N L I F E M A G A Z I N E . C O M