August is National Black Business Month, a time that highlights the importance of Black-owned businesses to our communities as well as our national economy. There are more than 2.6 million Black-owned businesses in the US that generate $150 billion in revenue. In Portland, Black-owned businesses can be found in business districts citywide and offer everything from critically acclaimed food to passionate professional services. Celebrate National Black Business Month by supporting these Portland businesses:
- Alberta: Grab some brunch at Fuel Café, which serves modern comfort food with a focus on organic ingredients. Find your muse at Green Muse, a dispensary influenced by art, science, music, sports, and fashion.
- Beaumont: Check out the selection of games, puzzles, and dice at one of Portland’s newest game stores, Puddletown Games. They even offer in-person group gaming dates!
- Division/Clinton: Check out Third Eye Books & Gifts’ extensive selection of African-centered books, accessories, and gifts; the largest in the Portland Metro Area.
- Foster Area: The Foster area is now home to a new distillery! Bringing you Rex Whiskey, Miru Vodka, mixers, and more, Royalty Spirits also hosts events such as live jazz and cocktail tastings.
- Hawthorne: Tattoo 34 is a street tattoo shop that specializes in flash and custom-drawn pieces.
- Lloyd: Satisfy your sweet tooth with Joe Brown’s Carmel Corn, which has been a Portland institution since 1932. They sell flavored popcorn, nuts, candy, cookies, cotton candy, and Hana’s Snowballs.
- Midway: Sisters Ethiopian Restaurant serves traditional Ethiopian dishes and is an excellent place to get a taste of East African cuisine. They also offer a range of vegan and gluten-free options, as well as traditional dishes like Doro Wot and Lamb Tibs.
- Mississippi Ave: Southern Kitchen PDX features a healthy take on ribs, red beans and rice, and other Southern-style comfort foods. The menu is based on recipes handed down to Co-owner, Maurice from his great-grandmother, who taught him how to cook as he was growing up in Georgia.
- NE Broadway: The Body Poetic invokes soulful living through the nexus of art, embodiment, and education. Some of their offerings include writing workshops, creativity coaching, and therapeutic massage.
- Soul District: Champions Barbershop is an upscale barbershop that offers “champion level” grooming and customer service. For some Soul Food in the Soul District, try Kee’s Loaded Kitchen, which serves smoked brisket, fried chicken, mac and cheese, loaded baked potatoes, and desserts.
- St. Johns: Get a taste of the Caribbean at Jamaica House, a Jamaican restaurant in a converted house, serving jerk chicken and curries.
- Williams District: House of Flavor Market is a West African grocery store with lots of fun products for daily cooking, as well as an extensive South African wine list and West African beer, including the star of the show, Star Beer!
This list is non-exhaustive. Be sure to show us your favorite Black-owned businesses on Facebook and Instagram. Visit mercatuspdx.com for a more comprehensive business directory.