ABOUT SHOPBLACKCT.com

ShopBlackCT.com is a volunteer initiative and not-for-profit website featuring 1,400+ Black-owned businesses ​in Connecticut.

Free to list. Free to browse.

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SUPPORTING 1,468 businesses and growing!

"Without ShopBlackCT.com I wouldn't have that big showcase I have now. My business has increased 15%."

- Reggie White, Crab Shack King, A Touch of Soul
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“ShopBlackCT.com has been a real vessel for bringing visibility to our Black-owned businesses, giving us the services of taking pictures and doing articles that we can use as marketing material and share with our networks and theirs.”

- Khamani Harrison, The Key Bookstore
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“They have dedicated their time and their resources to create a platform that has been very instrumental in the growth of my business and the growth of many other Black-owned businesses in Connecticut. A lot of times us small business owners don’t have the means to get our names out there, but this platform was created to do that. It was so needed.”

- Shawnee Rochester, Escape Massage & Esthetics Studio
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“The positive image, the positivity coming out of ShopBlackCT.com is so powerful and such a great movement that as a Black-owned, veteran-owned business myself I get to show my sons this great positive image and I love it.”

- Chef Jay, Fud, Inc. & Baby J's Spices
"ShopBlackCT.com has been a blessing for our business. ShopBlackCT.com helped us gain greater exposure within our local area and started a conversation around our story, our value and how we were working to uplift our community." 
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​- Nakia Kearse, Your CBD Store Simsbury
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"Business has increased since the launch of ShopBlackCT.com. My BBQ bowl sales have jumped."
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- James Hanton, The Singing Sliders
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FEATURED BUSINESSES

REFRAMED BY NIKKI
NORTH HAVEN

Photo: Meghan Olson Photography
​Launched in August 2020, ReFramed by Nikki is an eyewear business located in North Haven, Connecticut. Owner Nicole Forbes-Shaw—who goes by “Nikki”—is a nurse by trade who believes that patient care should be a nurse’s first priority.

NUTMEG HOMES
MIDDLETOWN

Photo: Meghan Olson Photography
Through her business, Nutmeg Homes, Sara Kennedy is striving to help as many people as possible, especially people of color who have much less generational wealth. Her biggest goal in life is to change that.

FRESH START CLEANING CT
AVON

Photo courtesy of Fresh Start Cleaning CT
DShaun Williams is following in his father’s footsteps, literally. Born and raised in Hartford, his dad showed him from an early age what hard work and perseverance looked like. Now more than 15 years later, Williams has started his own business, and it's taking off.

OH D'LUXE CANDLE + CO.
EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE

Photo: Terrence Irving Photography
Oddette Staple-Brown, an amazing candle making guru, launched Oh D’Luxe Candle + Co., a growing online company based in Bridgeport,  in the heart of the pandemic. What's followed is growth, gratitude and a whole lot of great scents.

LOVE ON YOU
NORWICH

Photo: Brenda De Los Santos Photography
Brittany Curry has taken a winding journey to create Love on You, a Norwich-based hub for women to pamper themselves with salon services, learn how to care for their hair and scalp, and purchase the products they need to do so.

IT'$ MY MONEY
WINDSOR

Photo: Meghan Olson Photography
Patrina Dixon, award-winning author, financial education instructor, “dualprenuer” businesswoman of P. Dixon Consulting, LLC has created an It’$ My Money, a business specially designed to help provide clear, helpful pathways to better spending and budgeting. ​

BIKRAM YOGA SIMSBURY
SIMSBURY

Photo: Seshu Photography
Once Richard Mercer took a Bikram yoga class, he was hooked. Tucked away on a side road in Simsbury sits Mercer’s yoga studio, which he runs with his wife, Laurie. For 11 years, he’s been offering yoga classes to help provide mental clarity, peace, strength, balance and fitness for hundreds of people. ​

ASSURGENT HEALING
AVON

Photo: Seshu Photography
​Felicia Edwards is a creative. She always had her heart set on becoming a psychologist, but knowing she wanted to go beyond the four walls of a traditional clinical setting and, quite literally, get up and moving while helping people, she began forging her own path during her undergraduate years.

ITEACHCT
MIDDLETOWN

Photo courtesy of iTeachCT
Dear parents: is your child struggling with learning? Has the pandemic affected their studies? Have things been stressful for you? Meet Ms. Shardae of iTeachCT—a mother, teacher, leader and advocate for education and student learning who can help keep your student on the right track.

50 WEST
PLAINVILLE

Photo: David Milton
Running for about six years under a previous owner, 50 West had undergone several concept changes. From fine dining to a noodle bar, the restaurant had tried it all with little long-lasting success. But for the Keolas it provided a foundation and following. All it needed was their special touch...American comfort food with an Asian flair. 

JOY OF LIFE CREATIONS
HARTFORD

Photo courtesy of Joy of Life Creations
Joy Monroe began creating art at the young age of four. She originally pursued a creative career in elegant cuisine as a chef, eventually joining up with a group of artists in 2011 called Connecticut Arts Initiative, where many more of her creative visions were birthed.

DOUBLE OR NOTHING APPAREL
GREATER HARTFORD

Photo: Angel Thompson Photography
Bet on yourself. Invest in yourself. Go all in on yourself. You are your best investment. These are words that Double or Nothing Apparel co-founders and cousins Mike Forrester and Drew Bailey live by, and now they’re sharing this motivation with others through their unisex all-purpose clothing brand. 

THE ART CHILD
BLOOMFIELD & ONLINE

Photo: Kristen McNevins Photography
Let’s face it, there is a kid in each and every one of us. The Art Child, a travel- based and online program for kids of all ages, recognizes that. Its mission, according to founder Ms. Alicia Brown, a certified therapeutic art life coach, is “to offer programs to let kids be kids, show their emotions along with helping them control them.”

GIFTED ONE PRINCES
EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE

Photo: Kristen McNevins Photography
Susan Vanriel-Smith’s son helped her realize how different people are and how important it is to accept those differences. Her son, who is non-verbal and only communicates when given cues and with a talking device, motivates her daily.

CRAIG'S KITCHEN
VERNON

Photo: Terrence Irving Photography
Craig Wright is beating the odds. His Vernon restaurant, Craig’s Kitchen, recently celebrated its third anniversary, and despite navigating a global crisis that has had an enormous effect on restaurants, his is on track for continued success.

CT NRA INSTRUCTOR
NEWINGTON

Photo: David Milton
During his first year of teaching, more than 300 people signed up for Duane Hinkson's pistol permit class in one day. Based on demand, he began offering instruction on the weekends. Today, he
has a permanent space to provide classroom instruction year-round.

ON THE ROAD WITH RODE!

Join ShopBlackCT team member Rode as she sets out each week to discover new favorite delicious, inspiring and downright amazing ​Black-owned businesses around Connecticut.

SHOPBLACKCT.COM BLOG

SHOPBLACKCT.COM, YWCA HARTFORD REGION JOIN FORCES TO DRIVE CONSUMERS TO LOCAL BLACK-OWNED BEAUTY BUSINESSES

The CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” is a law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination, which is the denial of employment and educational opportunities because of hair texture or protective hairstyles including braids, locs, twists or bantu knots. To celebrate, many CT Black-owned businesses are offering a special discount through the end of March and we've got the list! 

MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN BLACK COMMUNITIES: DEFEATING THE STIGMA

By Rode Bataille
Mental Health America explains that “historical adversity, which includes slavery, sharecropping, and race-based exclusion from health, educational, social, and economic resources translates into socioeconomic disparities experienced by Black and African American people today.” Socioeconomic status, in turn, is linked to mental health: People who are impoverished, homeless, incarcerated, or have substance use problems are at higher risk for poor mental health.

HOW (AND WHY) TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC RACISM THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS

By Damon Carter
The decision to take a stand against systemic racism by actively supporting social justice reform can be a difficult and pivotal choice for any organization.  In today’s social and political climate, there are increased expectations by both employees and consumers for companies to get actively involved in supporting social justice initiatives moving forward. ​

GROUNDBREAKING DRONE-ON-DEMAND APP OFFERS SKY-HIGH SERVICE

By Barry Alexander
After years of continuous development, Connecticut-based Aquiline Drones (AD), the nation’s only Black-owned drone manufacturing and technology company, is now just a few months away from launching the nation’s first true “Aquiline Drone-on-Demand” (ADoD) mobile app.

ASK THE DOC: CHRONIC INFLAMMATION AND FOOD ALLERGIES

By Dr. Ceylon Cicero
Managing the inflammatory response is how you manage your health. You have a lot of control over your lifestyle choices and helping your body heal itself. "You are what you eat" is not just a saying, but a way of life."

CREATING AN IT CULTURE OF INCLUSIVENESS AND BELONGING

By Damon Carter
For too long, and out of necessity, Black IT professionals have been silent about their experience. Creating a safe space to engage, listen and learn from others is a necessary first step towards creating a workplace culture that fully supports and values people of color.

PAY FORWARD AND GIVE BACK

By Patrina Dixon
The act of giving back doesn't necessarily have to be monetary. Even some simple acts of kindness and thoughtful gestures can make a significant impact. 

THE ECONOMICS OF RACISM

By Yvette Young
People often ask, why does ShopBlackCT.com only focus on Black-owned businesses? The quick answer is because of the impact systemic racism has had on the Black community.

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