Detroit's Only Black-Owned Grocery Store May Be Opening Sooner Than Later!
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
April 17, 2019
Although there are a lot of Black-owned businesses in the city of Detroit, there are no known Black-owned grocery stores. But one local entrepreneur, Raphael Wright, is planning to open what he says will be the first and only grocery store in the city owned by an African American.
Two years ago, Wright started the efforts to increase representation in terms of ownership in Detroit. He raised $47,000 through a GoFundMe campaign, gathered $70,000 through different forms of funding, and used $50,000 of his own money to invest in a grocery store that is considered to be the first ever Black-owned one in the area.
While looking for funding opportunities became relatively easy for Wright, it wasn't the same for finding an appropriate real estate. After being rejected many times, he currently has a proposed plan for a 5,000-square-foot grocery store in Detroit's Islandview neighborhood as a part of a mixed-use development. He is also still finding other possible locations, especially in underserved communities.
Visit www.blackbusiness.org to read the full article.
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