Black History Month is a time for reflection and celebration. Our theme this year is History in the Making – honoring history and celebrating the people making it.
Whether it’s providing youth employment programs, building community and culture through food, or simply existing, Black-owned businesses do so much to make our communities better. We appreciate their resilience, drive, and hope they bring us and everyone around them.
Get to know some of the Greater Seattle Black business owners making history every day:
- As Washington’s only Black-owned brewery, Rodney Hines at Métier Brewing Company has created a space at the intersection of community action and community connection.
- Chef Kristi Brown and Damon Bomar opened Communion in December 2020 in the historic Central District landmark Liberty Building, bringing their “Seattle soul” food to a historically Black neighborhood that has been drastically impacted by gentrification.
- In October 2020, Black Coffee Northwest opened in Shoreline with the mission to empower local youth through their barista program and a community hub. Despite enduring multiple acts of racism since their opening, Darnesha and Erwin Weary have remained steadfast in their commitment to create a space where people of color feel safe, welcome, and supported.
- Monika Mathews’ invests in the future of her community at QueenCare in Columbia City. Her youth program employs and uplifts teens in the King County area and gives them experience and confidence to succeed in business.
- Seattle may be home to Starbucks, but Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. Solomon Dubie of Cafe Avole and Efrem Fesaha of Boon Boona showcase and celebrate East African coffee culture and both source and roast coffee from African smallholder coffee producers.
- Dee Alams continues to make history at City Sweats as the founder of Seattle’s first infrared sauna, making infrared therapy accessible and convenient for all.
- Black & Tan Hall recently received funding from the City of Seattle to open their restaurant and performing arts community space where they will host educational workshops and lectures, performances, and paid fellowships for the South End community.
- Edouardo Jordan, owner of JuneBaby, Salare, and Lucinda Grain Bar, created the Soul of Seattle in 2019 to empower and recognize Black chefs and business owners in the Greater Seattle area.
Who are the history making Black businesses in your community? Join us in a year-round commitment to uplift them, share their stories, and support their businesses one beer, cup of coffee, and meal at a time.
Thanks for all that you do to #SpendLikeItMatters! Discover awesome brick + mortar small businesses in your community, suggest your favorites, and be sure that you’re following us on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
Intentionalist is your local guide to small businesses and the diverse people behind them. We believe that where you spend your money matters, and we’re sure glad you do too! Whether you identify as a localist, activist, or just a good neighbor, we make it easy for you to connect with, learn about, and support small businesses in your community through everyday decisions about where you eat, drink, and shop.