So you’ve heard of supporting local, but have you heard of supporting Black-owned businesses? Whether it be restaurants or fashion and beauty stores, here are seven Black-owned businesses you should visit and promote to give the same level of opportunities to those communities as you do the rest, while simultaneously showing that Black lives matter.
You’ll have the option at the end of this article to click on two different websites, too, where you can find other Black-owned businesses that weren’t mentioned here — find and support those other businesses as well by all means! The point here is to come together, support, uplift, and celebrate Black communities in your area. With that said, you can also click the name of each of the seven businesses mentioned in this article to be redirected to their Instagram account to follow them so you don’t miss out on any products they’re selling!
Fashion
Village Envy Collective is a shopping boutique that offers delivery as well as local pickup. It’s a Black-owned fashion brand located in Stittsville, Ontario. Village Envy’s clothing items embody a “touch of chic bohemian charm,” and the shop showcases all shapes and sizes in their clothing of many kinds! Pay the store a visit to purchase some new accessories, and you might just find the purse, hair clips, or jewellery that you’ve been searching for.
Visit Village Envy’s website for more details.
Looking to shop somewhere new for a new pair of shoes? Try Stomping Ground, located on Bank Street in the Ottawa region. Partnering with over 20 brands in their shoe section alone, this Black-owned company can be your one-stop-shop for clogs, sneakers, and boots. If shoes aren’t really your thing, however, don’t fret, because this business also offers a wide selection of accessories like hats, belts, bags, books, and home decor!
Visit Stomping Ground’s website for more details.
Health & Wellness
Well-known by many the trendiest flower shop to buy the most elegant and beautiful flowers, Luxe Blooms is a Black-owned business situated on Dalhousie Street here in Ottawa. Looking for some roses for a belated Valentine’s Day, or for someone you care about at any given time of the year? Here’s where you need to check out!
Visit Luxe Blooms’ website for more details.
While Farley Hill Heritage Spa’s goal is to share its passion for wellness, co-founder Anthony shares many health and wellness items like candles or what’s referred to as “auras”, essential oils, essences, and skincare products. What’s more is that this online wellness portal has an all-in-one place heritage collection which offers a range of holistic remedies for concerns like dry skin which is perfect for this time of the year, and cleanliness when it comes to finding the perfect non-drying body soaps and washes.
Visit Farley Hill’s website for more details.
Athletic Wear
Co-founder of St. Lyon Apparel, Abby, is providing a way for people who share her company’s values of confidence, community, and performance, to not only support Black lives, but also charities of theirs and the customer’s choice once they check out! Wanting comfortable athletic apparel that still makes you look amazing? Try this clothing brand that’s affordable, fashionable, comfortable, and breathable, and that gives everyone the opportunity to support more than one cause.
Visit St. Lyon Apparel’s website for more details.
Food & Drinks
Support Africart in Kanata, as they have many food options (maybe even more than the grocery store you’d typically go to!). Everything you could ever need from grains, flours, and spices, to superfoods, snacks, and meal kits… this store has you covered.
Visit Africart Grocery’s website for more details.
Any fellow vegans or vegetarians reading this? If so, this next business might become your next Booster Juice or Raw Pulp and Grind. Supporting environmental sustainability, The Fresh Mango has salad, smoothie, and juice options served in its compostable and recyclable packaging. Not to mention: you can really never go wrong with a fresh juice, smoothie or salad, right? Right.
Visit The Fresh Mango’s website for more details.
find another business
Now we’re nearing the of this article so… here are two sources I found that show even more Ottawa-based Black-owned businesses.
AfroBiz.ca
This website showcases six featured Black-owned businesses situated in Ottawa. One that I’ll be sure to shop at is Love & Light Jewels. Into crystals, jewellery, or candles and looking to support a Black-owned business in the Ottawa area? This is the place to go!
byblacks.com
This website offers a wide variety of Black-owned businesses in the Ottawa area, and in alphabetical order to make it super easy to navigate and access! The site is also ranked as being the “#1 Black Canadian online magazine,” as it shares not only businesses, but also books, art, and music created by Black artists, as well as job opportunities specifically for members of the Black community.
Conclusion
In hopes to share Black-owned businesses that aren’t as known by the general public, this article showcased seven different businesses split into different categories, as well as two helpful websites to best find Black-owned businesses to support in your area. February is Black History Month, so we encourage you to spend it right by supporting all of the above.