Storefront church

[1][2][3] Often, the interior of a building of this kind was converted to ecclesiastical use simply by putting in chairs, pews, and a makeshift pulpit.

Some storefront churches serves as a social and religious hub for an ethnic enclave.

Many storefronts emerged in the urban centers of the Northern United States and were filled with poor former slaves leaving the harsh memories of their former lives behind.

Today, many storefront churches are both religious houses of worship and centers of social development and free speech in many poor African American communities to express their feelings about the struggles and hardships they face every day in their lives, as well as churches for them to come together and worship and fellowship in.

Many have recently been established in Latino- and Asian-dominated neighborhoods, as well as poorer rural communities, typically serving similar functions as the storefront churches in historically Black communities.”[1] Storefront churches may still be found throughout the United States, among White and Latino neighborhoods as well as African American ones.