CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Black Restaurant Week starts this Monday, October 19 with a dozen Black-owned restaurants, food trucks, and vendors offering deals on signature meals.
The owner of Hip Hop Smoothies, Shamika Brooks, says this is a chance to show off the range of Black-owned establishments around the Queen City.
The pandemic has devastated the economy but especially for minority-owned businesses.
According to a study from Stanford, more than 40 percent of Black-owned businesses in the country closed during the coronavirus pandemic compared to about 20 percent of white-owned businesses.
Brooks says she’s noticed people wanting to be more thoughtful about where they spend their money, and CBRW is a good way to find local options.
“There’s some people that will come 30 minutes just to visit us and have our smoothies rather than going next door to a big box store,” Brooks explains.
Charlotte Black Restaurant Week is actually two weeks, running from Monday, October 19 through the 31st. Guests can get 25-50 percent discounts on select meals.
Black Food Truck Friday will take place on October 30.
The following establishments will be participating in the event:
- Sweet Creations of Charlotte
- LuLu's Maryland-style Chicken & Seafood
- True Blue Catering & More, Cuzzo's Cuisine
- Koffee Kup, Ruthies on Tryon
- The Nappy Chef
- LaWans Soulfood, Mr. Seafood Charlotte
- BW Sweets Bakery
- Hip Hop Smoothies
- Candy's Sweets N Treats