Prepare to check out some of the best black-owned businesses in Toronto. From delicious, mouth-watering food to fresh clothing and barbers, we’ve got it all in this city. Supporting these businesses means supporting the community twofold– not only does it strengthen local economies, but it helps to close the racial wealth gap that’s obvious in countries all over the world. All of these businesses have been recognized in one way or another in their communities for being unique, welcoming and positive. Whatever service or product you need, there’s a business to try out this month!
- Food:Â Choose Life Foods
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Choose Life Foods is a vegan restaurant that adheres to three core values, according to their website.Â
1. Clean ingredients
2. Ingredient sourcing
3. Taste
Founder Carolyn Simon grew up loving Jamaican patties. She was inspired to make vegan patties when she struggled to find a plant-based alternative when switching her diet. That is how Choose Life Foods was born!
- Food:Â Flame and Smoke
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Owners Skye Prescott and Jessica Neverson wanted to diversify the food options for catering out in the world, so they started a small catering company in 2017: Flame and Smoke.
Their mission is to “spread the message that gourmet food doesn’t need to come at a gourmet price.”
- Clothes:Â LOST IN The Culture
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LOST IN, as the business describes it on their website, is a “connection to the culture.” Their goal is to connect people to their environment and represent themselves at the same time.
- Clothes: Barracks
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Barracks is committed to making feel-good clothing that motivates and inspires their customers. Their founding values are within the themes of authenticity, self-improvement and community building. Clearly, Barracks is all about positivity as seen on their website:
“It’s a call to look on the brighter side of things, to stay positive, to embrace life’s challenges as part of your journey and to MARCH FORWARD no matter the roadblock.”
- Barber:Â Onyx Barbers
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Onyx Barbers is a barbershop located in downtown Toronto, where all the action happens. Between business partners Lowell Stephens and Kirk Tulloch, they have about 33 years of barber experience. Stephens taught himself how to cut hair at age 10 and Tulloch was only 16 when one of his haircuts was featured in a national ad for volleyball clothing. These two are not to be messed with when it comes to clippers!
- Fitness: House of Sweat
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Founder Travis Edwards created a way to bring fitness and training into his clients homes. Edwards has dedicated his life to in-home personal training with his 4-step fitness system making it easier to achieve goals and push yourself.