Tucked away in a small nook on E. Colorado Ave. and S. Casino Center Blvd. downtown is Analog Dope (analogdope.com), a Black- and LGBTQ+-owned book and vinyl store. You can’t miss it — a tiny, dark red, old Vegas home-style building with a cute artificial lawn.
When you walk in, you’re surprised all over again by how small it is — but it’s a giant in terms of intention, purpose, and expression of Black culture. Analog Dope isn’t just in the business of selling you stuff; it’s in it to make an impact on the local community.
Owners and founders Rachelle and Charlie Luster opened the store in 2022. Rachelle, originally from California, and Charlie, originally from Ohio, moved to Las Vegas permanently in 2016. They started with a website and occasional pop-ups, but for Rachelle, a bookstore was her dream.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a kid,” she says.
The Lusters are also music lovers — it’s what brought them together in the first place. So, combining music and books in one space was a no-brainer. In today’s digital age, physical media can feel like an afterthought, but for them, analog will always be dope-er.
“Analog entertainment (can be) very grounding. It’s a way to unplug from the digital world, to escape and renew yourself,” Charlie says.
At the heart of the store’s mission is a commitment to centering and celebrating Black culture in all its forms. It’s reflected on the shelves, which feature titles such as We Are Not Yet Equal: Understanding Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson; the speculative fiction novel Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler; and the poetry collection Magical Negro by Morgan Parker.
“I remember a young lady walked in, and she just broke out in tears seeing the books and faces of Black people on the covers,” Rachelle says. “A lot of people say (they’ve) never seen a space like this before in the city.”
The vinyl selection ranges from contemporary classics like Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly to timeless albums like Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, and even deeper cuts like Julius Rodriguez’s Let Sound Tell All.
Their mission extends to the range of literary and music events they host, and collaborations they build with other local businesses. The Lusters believe that when one small business succeeds, it lifts others up, too.
“We’ve had vendor marketplaces in our courtyard outside. We also carry some local products,” Rachelle says. “It’s been rewarding collaborating with other businesses, because some that we worked with during their first year are now just totally doing their own thing. It’s amazing being a part of someone else’s journey.”
One of Analog Dope’s collaborators is local painter Anecia Hargrove, who founded the visual culture brand Melanin Girl Culture. Some of her pieces are available at Analog Dope, where she’s also hosted some of her events, called Girls Night In Paint and Sip.
Hargrove thinks the shop’s collaborative attitude is admirable in the small business landscape, where it can be every person for themselves. The focus on Black culture also sets it apart, she says, “especially when you have so many factors against you, or you don’t really have the resources that others may have.”
The Lusters plan to expand the store, and while they say the business is doing well, it’s ultimately about more than that.
“I can’t tell you how many times a day people come in the store and they’re like, ‘Yeah, my friend told me I need to come here,’ or, ‘I’m from out of state, I had to stop by,’” Charlie says.
“To us, all those instances equal success. Yes, money is definitely a part of it, being able to keep product in the store, etcetera. But, to us, ultimate success is hearing people’s excitement and the joy they get around the store.”
