Charlotte Black-owned businesses you should know

Home to a number of Black businesses, Black history markers and the HBCU that was the first four-year institution to have an African American president in the South, a weekend trip to Charlotte, North Carolina can be the perfect opportunity to explore different aspects of the culture.

Start the day at Detour Coffee Bar (no affiliation), a Black-owned cafe on wheels, which serves locally roasted blends, hand-crafted signature coffee drinks, pastries, muffins and smoothies. This summer’s offerings have featured a seaside macchiato with salted caramel, a banana crisp toffee nut latte and a cabana chai infused with spiced coconut.

Stop by Urban Reader for a place to sip on your menu selection while browsing Black authors at the city’s first Black-owned bookstore. Shop owner Sonyah Spencer saw a lack of space dedicated exclusively to Black intellectual thought and inspiring young readers and chose to make a solution by opening her doors. She offers curatorial services and specializes in finding the right titles for any reader and sourcing books even though they may not be in her current stock.

Stop by Leah and Louise for lunch, where James Beard Award-nominated chef Greg Collier partners with his wife, Subrina, to offer Mississippi River Valley inspired interpretations of classic Southern dishes. Their restaurant is designed as a juke joint for the modern era, fostering nostalgia and earning them the title of 2018 Charlotteans of the year. A favorite dish is their menu item “Wabbit Season”, a dinner made with grits, smoked rabbit, grits, an almond raisin crumble, and shaved carrots. After lunch head over to SouthPark Mall to take a stroll through the shelves at Captivate, a feminine fashion destination owned by Black celebrity stylist Charity Washington.

Cap off the evening with a visit to Red@28, a multicultural literary lounge offering hookah, books, a bar, outdoor patio and more.

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This story was originally published September 13, 2022 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Charlotte Black-owned businesses you should know."