By Hillary Van Dyke and Josh Bean
In our attempt to focus on the root causes of inequality in the Tampa Bay area, we recognize the significance of economic vitality. We know, through looking at local and national data, that a variety of systemic barriers prohibit equitable access to homeownership, employment, educational attainment, transportation, healthcare, and more.
Therefore, it is our mission to make it easier to help all people spend their money at Black-owned businesses. The saying that “When America gets a cold, Black people get the flu,” highlights how Black people are historically the most vulnerable to systemic failure.
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In being intentional in the way you choose to spend your money, you not only help these businesses—which are just a few of the roughly 2.5 million Black-owned businesses in the country, most of which are sole proprietorships and small businesses—but you uplift your entire community.
While this is in no way a full list of Black-owned businesses in the Tampa Bay area, these are some of the companies we have covered over the last couple of years on our Instagram and Facebook. We’ve arranged them into categories, described one business in each category and listed the rest.
Follow us @greenbooktb, or visit our website greenbooktampabay.org, to learn more.
Who We Use
- Debonair Prints Specializes in graphic design and screen printing, and we just love the work they have done for us! Be sure to check out their Instagram (@debonairprints) to see their work. Oh, and visit the Merch tab on our website greenbooktb.org to order a Green Book t-shirt. debonairprints.com
- Astute Observations Astute did our logo astuteobs.com
- Creative Courtois This web development team did our website and logo work for our website development grant. creativecourtois.com
- The Deuces Live A community partner in St. Petersburg deuceslive.org
- One Community St. Pete Another community partner in St. Petersburg onecommunitystpete.com
- SpeedPro St. Petersburg SpeedPro did our business cards speedpro.com
- Staples Co This team played web developer for our website development grant. staplesco.com
Black History
- Madame Fortune Taylor Walking Tour This historical walking tour starts at the Tampa Bay History Center and is centered on Madame Fortune Taylor, namesake of the Fortune Taylor Bridge in Tampa. Not only is Taylor a legendary Black business woman and a fascinating historical figure, but the tour is also led by thee Gloria Jean Royster, a local historian. tampabayhistorycenter.org
- African American Heritage Trail afamheritagestpete.org
- Best Richardson African Diaspora Literature & Culture Museum bradlcmuseum.com
- “Black Pioneers of the Sunshine City” Watch on YouTube via The Weekly Challenger News
- Central Ave Black History Walking Tour tampabayhistorycenter.org
- Curtis Museum of Pinellas curtismuseum.org
- Dr. Carter Woodson African American Museum woodsonmuseum.org
- Perry Harvey Sr. Park tampagov.net
Arts & Entertainment
- Black Business Bus Tour The legendary Candy Lowe’s bus tour of Black-owned businesses is an absolute blast. Not only do you get to tour businesses, the event ends with a market of other Black-owned businesses. Follow @blackbusinessbustour on Insta to stay-up-date for when these exciting events start back up. blackbusinessbustourflorida.com
- The Afro Market Exchange @theafromarketexchange on Instagram
- Black Water Theatre @bw_theatre on Instagram
- Indie Noir Market indienoirmarket.com
- Indie Reece indiereece.com
- Nick Davis ndartlife.com
- Shadcore @shadcoreofficial on Instagram
- Singles Pop Up thesinglespopup.com
- Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival tampabaycollardgreenfestival.org
- Queen of Ex @queenofex on Instagram
- Zulu Painter zulupainter.com
Food & Beverage
- Three Generations Food Truck Chef Melly’s soul food truck is addictive, seriously ridiculous, and the Instagram page (@threegenerationsfoodtruck) is a whole trap of yummy goodness! chefmellys.com
- Irv City beardofirv.com
- Brea’s Coffee breasmobilecafe.com
- Mr. B’s Soul Food Restaurant @eatatmrbs on Instagram
- Heavenly Treats heavenlytreats100.com
- Heavy’s Food Truck heavysfoodtruck.com
- J New & Moms Catering jnewmomscatering.com
- Lorene’s Fish & Crab House (727) 321-7297
- PattyCakes pattyecakes.com
- Psalms Brittle Co. psalmsbrittle.com
- Ray’s Vegan Soul raysvegansoul.com
BBQ
- Grillin n Chillin I know you’re wondering why there is a food category, and a BBQ category, but honestly, BBQ had to be its own thing. And while we love so many of the BBQ spots we have tried out, there is something about having ribs while beachside that hits different. Check them out on Instagram (@grillin_n_chillin). grillinchillingstpete.com
- Al's Finger Licking Good Bar-B-Que alsybor.com
- Atwater’s Best BBQ & Soul Food Atwater's Best BBQ & Soul Food on Facebook
- Bubba’s Q Food Truck @bubbasqfoodtrucks on Instagram
- First Choice BBQ firstchoicebbq.com
- Jazzy B’s BBQ jazzysbbqtampafl.com
- Rack City Ribz rackcityribz.com
- Red’s BBQ Food Truck @redsbbqfoodtruck on Instagram
- The Rib Shack Largo ribshackbbqlargo.com
- Saucin Wings @saucinwings on Instagram
- Trust Me BBQ @trustmebbq on Instagram
Hair & Beauty
- Central Station Barbershop Central Station Barbershop are the founders of the Barbershop Book Club. They provide fresh cuts and encourage students to read during their haircuts and while they wait. Through their creativity, this program has grown to other barbers throughout St. Pete! Definitely check out their social media feeds for some feel good content! @centralstationbarbershop1 on Insatagram
- Aesthetic by Vicki aestheticsbyvicki.com
- Annie’s Beauty Supply Store anniesbeautysupply.com
- Blue Hibiscus Organics bluehibiscusorganics.com
- CurlyCoilyTresses curlycoilytresses.com
- Custom Beauty Spa “Custom Beauty Spa” on Booksy
- Cyble’s Hair Care Salon 727-871-4393
- Eyelash Icon eyelashicon.as.me
- King Essential Beard Oil @kingsessentialbeardoil on Instagram
- Queen Steams Beauty & Spa queensteams.com
- Seraye Wellness @serayewellness on Instagram
Media & Such
- The Weekly Challenger Did you know there is a Black-owned and operated newspaper that has been in existence for over 50 years in the Tampa Bay area? Visit the Weekly Challenger website to subscribe and stay in the know. theweeklychallenger.com
- Agent X: The Movie agentxthemovie.com
- All Tea, No Shade podcast soundcloud.com/allteanoshade
- Altitude Collective podcast thealtitudecollective.com
- Always Truth Incorporated alwaystruthincorporated.com
- “Church Folks” TV series Available on Amazon
- Outdoorsy Diva podcast and blog outdoorsydiva.com
- Paige Tucker paigetucker.com
- Podcast Pedagogy podcastpedagogy.xyz
- The Power Broker Magazine powerbrokermagazine.com
- St. Petian stpetian.com
Services & Things
- Bark Bar Treats My dogs are obsessed with the dog treats from Bark Bar! Check out their Instagram (@barkbartreats) barkbartreats.com
- A.Tailor’d Picnics atailordpicnics.com
- America’s Most Reliable Movers amrmovers.com
- Event Heroes of Tampa Bay eventheroesoftampabay.com
- Garrett’s Lawn Care and Tree Service gplawncare.com
- Ge’odor Lux @GeodorLux on Instagram
- Groovy Puppy Tampa thegroovypuppytampa.com
- Kingdom Elite Services kingdomeliteservices.com
- Moore Eventful Event Hall mooreeventful.com
- Snappy Notary Solutions snappynotarysolutions.com
- Sonshine Detailing sonshinedetailing.com
- Vibrant Hues Events vibranthues.events
Shopping
- 1Pier St Pete Stall The 1Pier Stall is an all-female collective of nine retailers selling hand-crafted and uniquely sourced products at the St. Pete Pier. This project is possible through the work of One Community St Pete and is history-making! 1pierstpete.com
- Afribera afribera.com
- Accent Styles Boutique accent-styles.myshopify.com
- Body Butters by Design bodybuttersbydesign.com
- Candice’s Exotic Trends candicesexotictrends.com
- Cultured Books culturedbooks.org
- Gallerie909 @gallerie909 on Instagram
- Natural for a Reason gumroad.com/naturalforareason
- PositiviTee shoppositivitee.com
- Pure with Love pure-with-love.square.site
- Seraye Wellness @serayewellness on Instagram
Wellness & Medical
- Inspire Beyond Counseling Marco Bernard is a therapist who helps adults through trauma, but along with being a therapist, he is an author of the most intriguing audiobook “The Next Move: In Translation.” Check out his Instagram (@iam_marcobernard) marcobernard.org
- 3 Gems Birth Services 3gemsbirthservices.com
- BodybyCord Fitness @bodybycordfitness on Facebook
- Body Rehab by B bodyrehabbyb.com
- Ligon Dental Group ligondental.com
- Home Again Counseling homeagaincounseling.com
- Grind + Cycle grindandcycle.com
- Meeyogi Tribe @meeyogitribe on Instagram
- Pop Nutrition @popnutrition on Instagram
- Tampa Bay Afrofit tampabayafrofit.com
- The Well for Life thewellforlife.org
Disclaimer: Green Book of Tampa Bay does not assume responsibility for any product or service offered and is not in any way responsible for monitoring any transaction between you and third-party providers or services.
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This article appears in Dec 17-23, 2020 and Green Book of Tampa Bay (2020).