9 minute read
Business
Celebrating our 21 st Anniversary of The Brownstone Boutique in the wake of Covid-19
Securing our clients, supporters and community in the wake of covid-19, would be as important to us as our 21 st Anniversary celebration. How could we incorporate social distancing, Hand sanitizing and wearing mask into our celebration? Thanks to the Universe, we would host a “Mask”erade ball inviting our guest to all wear “fancy masks” on part of the Anniversary.
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The Brownstone “Lifestyle Boutique” focuses on dressing women for the important moments of their lives. The Boutique features a unique collection of contemporary ethnically inspired designer clothing sizes 12-20 and oneof-a-kind accessories and unique gifts. Each client is offered a distinctively private shopping experience, with the focus on quality, value and most of all a high level of customer service.
In 1998 Princess Jenkins founded The Brownstone., “I had lived in Harlem many years however I couldn’t find stores, boutiques or special places where I could shop. I suddenly realized that Harlem would be an incredible place to start a Lifestyle Boutique”
says Mrs. Jenkins. The Brownstone was located in a three Story turn of the century Brownstone off fifth avenue on East 125 th street, it was their they created the first African American department store and has been featured in, O Magazine, Essence, Black Elegance, New York Magazine, Crain’s, The New York Times as well as NBC and Metro Television.
“The 21 st anniversary celebration was proof that dreams do come true. The Brownstone has been a dream fulfilled. Each day I wake up with great expectancy. I wonder who will come in today? What new opportunities will come my way? what is the creator preparing me
for? I don’t know but if its anything like what I’m living in today at the brownstone with my clients and friends, then the future can’t come fast enough”.
Stay tune for our new Collections coming soon….
The Brownstone 24 East 125 th Street
Harlem, New York,
HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
Black-Owned Taco Restaurant with a Splash of Soul By Brian Morse, President and Directory of Black Businesses
Combining the rich, punchy flavors of soul food with high quality Mexican fare, Sky’s Gourmet Tacos is famous for its unique spin on the tacos we all know and love. For almost 30 years, Sky’s has treated Californians to the best tacos in LA, serving up big, beautiful portions packed full of “… messy, overstuffed deliciousness.”
Everyone that tastes one of Sky’s gastric delights agrees that it is bold and audacious, especially underlined by Sky’s “Sassy Sauce”, which takes no hostages. You’re either going to love it right away or complain that it has no right to taste so good.
Now, Sky’s is giving us all the opportunity to enjoy a bit of the sassy attitude that makes every single item on their menu a hit with fans, right in our homes. August 2020, Sky’s Gourmet Tacos’ “Sassy Sauce” went to market and is now available both in physical stores and online.
You no longer have to wonder why Sky’s menu tastes so good. With the Sassy Sauce going on sale, you can crack the lid on this trade secret and start creating your own home-made delicacies dripping with so much attitude, they talk right back at you.
Sky’s has come a long way since it first opened as a little storefront restaurant on Pico Boulevard, LA in early 1992. With little more than $2,000, Barbara “Sky” Burrell, started her restaurant with the ambitious dream to create the “unforgettable taco”. In the beginning, many African Americans were taken aback because they had never seen an African American own a taco restaurant. Nearly three decades later, there’s no doubt she has succeeded.
Being a black-owned business, operated by a woman no less, Sky’s has survived through multiple challenges, including two civil unrests, an earthquake, a funding drought for black businesses and personal challenges.
Yet, the business has stayed true to its promise of quality, consistently serving up the best Mexican fare in South LA, garnished with a splash of soul.
Today, Sky’s is regarded as one of LA’s most famous restaurants, loved and patronized by locals and celebrities alike. Celebrities that have frequented Sky’s Gourmet Tacos are Usher, Queen Latifah, Brad Pitt, Cheryl Lee Ralph, Jennifer Lawrence and many more. Sky’s Gourmet Tacos has also provided catering services for Gabriel Union and Dwayne Wade’s birthday party, as well as the SCAG Awards After Party.
Currently, Sky’s has two physical locations – a new main location on Pico Boulevard, and Sky’s Gourmet Marketplace on Marina Del Rey – and two more are coming soon. Sky’s University VK, their third location opens August 21, 2020 at 358 West 38th Street Los Angeles, California. A new 3,400 sq. ft. location in the new LA Rams Stadium at Inglewood will soon follow in 2022.
The Black Business Directory features With over 100,000+ Black businesses in the United States, Africa, the Caribbean Islands, Canada and in the United Kingdom, Black Directory is the Largest Black Business Directory in the WORLD! For more information go to www. blackdirectory.com.
PHYSICAL THERAPY HARLEM
1400 5th Ave. (entrance on 116th Street), NY, NY 10026
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BUSINESS Small Business Owner Shelia Black keeps her truck boutique business going with help from Grameen America and social media during the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Tineta Newton
Last week Shelia Black participated in a photo shoot with CNN as a busi ness chosen by Grameen America and MasterCard in a promotional cam paign to address racial and financial disparities for small businesses. Grameen America is a non profit who makes mi cro loans to women who are starting or already own struggling business es. Shelia speaks highly of Grameen as an orga nization that has helped her maintin and grow her business.
Shelia is a small busi ness owner in Harlem. Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic you would see her vibrant yellow and turquoise truck on 125th Street, west of the The Apollo Theater adorned with deep sable window frames with distressed painted edges inviting you into a shopping ex travaganza. You’ve arrived at Liha (“Lasting Impressions Hoisery and Accessories”), Shei
la Blacks’ Mobile Boutique which features contemporary, vintage and handcrafted acces sories for the sensual, artsy, fashion diva. She invites you to hop aboard a sanctuary of positioned textures including vari ous metallics all asking to be touched.
Ms Black was inspired to be an entrepreneur at the age of 14. She said it was in her spirit to be come what she is today. She was in accounting for many years and then in 1997 she said this is it, and went into business on her own. The look and feel of Liha is fun, and easy with a unique style full of personal creative fashions.
She began her ven ture in 2013 through a $1k micro loan. Later, Liha required financial help which she borrowed from local organizations, family and friends. The pandemic devastated operations and halted
Liha from functioning on 125th Street. Sheila quickly made a strategic decision to increase Li ha’s social media presence by first taking online classes and second, cre ating a studio workshop complete with patterns, material, buttons and fab ric to continue encouraging her audience. She said she always had the resources but didn’t take the time. She learned how to take photos, edit, up date and post onto social
media platforms.
When asked how she sees herself in her busi ness and what inspires her, she expressed that we need each other to do this, and to just do it and the more women of color, the more will come and we will be free. She said she wants to be independent, she wants to be free.
You can find Liha on 125 th Street daily on 125 th Street, west of the Apollo Theater. You must wear a mask to enter and just one customer at a time. Or you can shop with her online at www.shopliha.com.
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Michael Cruz Successfully earned his CNA Certification through HPOG
HPOG is a study funded by the federal government which is being conducted to determine how these training opportunities help people improve their skills and find better jobs. During the study, all new eligible applicants will be selected by lottery to participate in these training opportunities. Not all eligible applicants will be selected to participate in these opportunities. This document is supported by Grant #90FX0039 from the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HHS.
