The outdoor market aims to connect small Black-owned businesses to the community.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (November 9, 2020) – Baldwin Hills Crenshaw is partnering with Melanin Market LA, a collective that brings together L.A.’s Black-owned businesses and vendors for an outdoor community market offering goods from local artists, clothing designers, jewelry makers, beauty brands, and more.
The market also provides inner-city youth the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship through first-hand experience and aims to help up-and-coming businesses learn proper business practices.
Founded by Kris Hibler-Smith and Jay Funtila, Melanin Market is designed to provide a platform for Black-owned businesses and vendors to offer products and services to the community and allow the community the opportunity to visit a one-stop-shop market to patronize these local small businesses.
According to a May report from the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, more than 40 percent of Black-owned businesses in the U.S. have closed since the pandemic began, creating an urgent need to find new creative ways to support Black-owned businesses in Los Angeles.
At the same time, in the wake of the Country’s racial reckoning that heightened with the killing of George Floyd, widespread calls to support Black-owned businesses have echoed throughout Los Angeles.
“For over a decade, Capri has made it a priority to support and help foster the small minority-owned businesses that we have the privilege of calling our tenants. Partnering with Kris and Jay to bring the Melanin Market to Baldwin Hills Crenshaw is an absolute joy for us, and we knew our community would
love it,” said Rachel Freeman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Capri Retail Services. “Black-owned businesses have been hit especially hard by the pandemic, so we are thrilled to open our space to these incredible entrepreneurs and provide a home base to share their passion and their products with our community.”
Past vendors include health and beauty company Nena’s Organics, paper goods company By Ms James, handcrafted crystal jewelry company Gilded Grotto, and mobile juice bar Juice.fx, among many others.
“We founded Melanin Market LA to create a space for the South LA community to access goods and services from local Black-owned businesses, and we’re grateful to Baldwin Hills Crenshaw for providing the perfect place to host this event,” said Jay Funtila, co-founder of Melanin Market. “I grew up in South LA, and I know the important role BHC plays for the community as a place to gather and shop. We hope that this event will show the power of Black entrepreneurship and inspire our community’s youth to live their dreams while at the same time connecting Black-owned businesses to resources and exposure in Los Angeles.