Chicagoans and beyond are encouraged to put the Black in Black Friday and shop online or order food to-go at Black-owned businesses.
The newly launched website www.BlackShopFriday.com provides a guide to more than 500 local Black-owned businesses – more than 40 of them in Austin – that can be searched by category and/or neighborhood.
Black Shop Friday is a partnership of the city of Chicago, the Chicago Urban League and advertising agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul (OKRP).
In its 2019 State of Black Chicago Report, the Chicago Urban League highlighted U.S. Census data that showed Black-owned businesses in Illinois have smaller sales receipts and fewer employees than other businesses — contributing to a racial wealth gap that impacts Chicago communities.
The Black Shop Friday campaign aims to help narrow the wealth gap and strengthen neighborhoods across the city.
“We know that Black-owned businesses have less access to capital and other resources needed to be successful,” said Urban League President & CEO Karen Freeman-Wilson.
“Black Shop Friday is an important campaign to raise awareness of these challenges, while also providing a mechanism for people who want to be intentional about supporting black businesses.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said supporting Chicago’s small businesses has been a priority of hers since even before taking office.
“This inspiring partnership allows Chicagoans to discover the hundreds of Black-owned businesses in our city, driving the investment dollars that are needed now more than ever, and giving everyone a chance to make this new shopping holiday a huge success,” Lightfoot said.