Today’s Black Business Chronicles…
I pulled up last week to get my nails done at Out of the Ordinary, owned by a black woman, and woke Michai up to ask him if he wanted some Italian Ice?
Michai: From who? (In a tone of, “you know we only eat one kind”)
Me: *Pointed at the truck of CiCi’s NY Style Italian Ice with an expression on my face of “who else would I buy from?”🙄*
Him: *pops up and looks around* Where is she?
Me: Not far from her truck
I go in the nail salon where I was expecting to see Ms. CiCi taking orders, but she was getting her nails done. We talked and I learned she was headed to NY to reup her supply and the nail salon owner informed me Ms. CiCi would sell me my own half gallon container. 😳😳😳 I ordered two for the Winter months and picked them up last night during the Liberty Street Jazz.
Pic 1: Michai’s container…and as you can tell, it is not going to make it to Winter.
Ms. CiCi’s cart was in front of Pic 2 and she encouraged me to go in and speak. I was hesitant because I didn’t want my Italian Ice to melt, but it’s black owned so I had to show my support. As you can see, you instantly feel like you’re in NY once you enter; not to mention the owner’s accent. He’s incredibly inviting, friendly and on the move. He has his liquor license, will be extending hours to 2a, sells a plethora of black owned products; from Rosey Bloom’s Collards, to DJ’s Cheesecakes, to Happie Foods and is willing to add some cupcakes to fill the empty spaces on the grab and go’s shelf. He also has another location near Kimberly Park School.
I learned about him from one of Maya’s (owner of Ma’ati Spa) posts I shared a couple weeks ago. She happened to be inside and had flyers, Pics 3 and 4, posted of the events she will be hosting during NBTF.
I expressed my excitement for all the Black ownership and Maya said, “But this is what we do.” She’s right, before I shopped with Ms. CiCi, I shopped with her father, Mr. Brown, at his produce store when my grandmother could no longer pick her own greens. He also had the best watermelons which he and his grandson drove to SC to get themselves.
Ownership, creativity (look at the Peanutman), collaboration, support, celebrating each other…that IS what we do and it is also what will sustain us.
It’s still July isn’t it? Well Rafiki is still saying, “It is time”…for NBTF 💜🖤
