Black-owned Cleveland Businesses to Uplift & Support
NEOCH Staff gathered and shared their local favorite black-owned businesses. This Juneteenth the NEOCH office is closed as we encourage staff to enjoy the day and celebrate black-owned businesses in our community. We welcome more recommendations for black-owned businesses in Cleveland to celebrate.
Our Director of Advocacy and Organizing, Josiah Quarles, wrote about the importance of sharing and supporting black-owned businesses:
Black owned businesses are more likely to hire Black people, they are more likely to be located in areas accessible to Black people, they are more likely to platform and integrate the culture legacy of Black people and are more likely to cater to the tastes of Black people. In addition they create a more diverse and inclusive economy and community at large and the revenue from these endeavors flow more directly to support Black households and families.
This does all come with a caveat. Black business is not a solution to Black poverty. The production and distribution of the raw materials used in any black business is almost assuredly white-owned. The owners of the buildings they pay rent to are almost assuredly white owned. The banks that lend to them, the web hosts and digital distributers, the shipping companies and larger market exchanges are all most-likely white owned. True economic equity is much more about class than race and while the effect and shared experience of being Black in America is a real one, our fates are linked with working class people of all races and our power lies at the point of production, not the point of consumption.
Josiah Quarles, Director of Advocacy and Organizing
Black-owned Cleveland Businesses from Josiah Quarles
One moment when support a Black-Owned Business felt important was when I picked up a few shifts with Roaming Biscuit before they had a brick and mortar. At the time they were using the Cleveland Bagel kitchen (the owner of Roaming Biscuit was a former employee) and were having some staffing issues while expanding their pop-ups. It felt great to be in a community of reciprocity, where my abilities with dough, could lend a hand to their expansion, I received fair compensation, and a White-Owned business was able to resource a Black entrepreneur who had been an integral part of that business' growth. She now has a successful store front producing delicious biscuit sandwiches, and my best friend works there part-time.
A Black-owned business that deserves more support (beyond not having to pay rent at my mom's house) is none other than my brother James Quarles. He is an independent artist. He is a painter, illustrator, graphic designer, writer, singer and rapper. He is immensely talented and severely underappreciated and underpatronized. You can check some of his stuff out at James Quarles (@thejamesquarles) • Instagram photos and videos
Staff Recommended Black-owned Businesses
More Staff Recommendations:
Yonder Brunch and Vibes
3859 Superior Ave. Cleveland, 44114
-Yanni, HOPWA Manager
Rid-all Green Partnership
8129 Otter Ave. Cleveland 44104
-Torria, Housing Justice Community Organizer
The Vegan Club
13114 Shaker Square, Cleveland 44120
-Jean, Street Outreach Worker
ThirdSpace Reading Room
1464 E. 105th Cleveland, 44106
-Josiah, Director of Advocacy and Organizing
ZanZibar Soul Fusion
13225 Shaker Square Cleveland 44120
-Marketa, H4EN Outreach Navigator
Grille 55
4441 Mayfield Rd. South Euclid, 44121
-Renee, Housing Justice Coordinator
Cleveland Cold Brew
1400 E. 105th St. Ste 7 Cleveland 44106
-Kathryn, Communications Coordinator
Long Live The Ohio City Pizzeria!
13114 Shaker Square, Cleveland 44120
-Jean, Street Outreach Worker
The Friars' Table
1305 Euclid Ave. Cleveland 44115
-Two Braids, Street Outreach Worker