Taste of Black Spirits event will be held in Detroit

A Metro Detroit nonprofit organization is providing Black Friday sales while giving even more business to Black-owned businesses on the Avenue of Fashion.

The Juneteenth celebration kicks off with a stroll in Detroit along the Avenue of Fashion on Livernois, taking you through 46 Black-owned businesses offering discounts.

DETROIT – It’s one of the most recognizable slogans in Metro Detroit: “Detroit vs. Everybody.”It was started by a Detroit graduate whose career took him across the country. He traveled across the country and realized he didn’t like the way Detroit was being represented. Back in 2012, Walker created a simple, unmistakable design -- Detroit vs. Everybody. This is crying out whenever somebody makes a goal or scores anything cross the line -- ‘Detroit vs. Everybody,’” Walker said. AdMore information can be found on Tommey Walker’s official website here or the official Versus Everybody website here.

DETROIT – When two Metro Detroit natives wanted to start their own business, they drew inspiration from the Motor City. It started when four friends thought they could improve a car air freshener into something more cool. Donovan Brown and Garrick Mitchell both graduated from west Bloomfield High School in 2007. “We’ve all been either starting or attempting to start businesses literally since high school,” Brown said. “We’ve been around for about two and a half years now amd have over 10,000 active subscribers,” Mitchell said.

DETROIT – Haith and Henry Johnson started Le’Host Hair in their basement and after years of hard work, they now have their products on the shelves of major stores. Le’Host products caught the eye of Walmart executives and the products now are on the shelves of the world’s largest retail store. She took the products she had been developing and selling at her brick-and-mortar store to Walmart, where she won a pitch contest to get her natural-hair and wig friendly products into stores. AdLe’Host products are currently in about 200 Walmart stores, but they’ve been flying off the shelves. Read more: Local and national business headlinesMore information on Le’Host Hair & Wigs can be found on its official website here.

Over quarantine, a lot of us have been getting pretty used to using food delivery services. For black history month, why not try out a new app that is helping black-owned restaurants stand out, and get their food to customers. The app started off in Philadelphia, and is now up and running in 4 cities across the nation. He saw that there was no black-owned food delivery systems, and he stepped up to fill the role. Black and Mobile works like any other food delivery service app, and will deliver within a 10 mile radius of the restaurants.

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Welcome to Le Don Collection -- it’s the newest store in Downtown Royal Oak on South Washington Avenue, “We’re art, fashion, sneakers.”And Saturday, the owner Le Don will open up his second clothing store to the public. His first one is in Southfield and the new one is in Royal Oak. “It’s a scary thing to open up a business in times like this,” said Le Don. He’s competing in his late 20s, “Being one of the youngest Black men in Royal Oak and being Nigerian is different. More information can be found on the Le Don Collection’s official website here.

“My father and his partner actually developed the entire block, the physical block,” explains Stephanie. She called the development a “labor of love” for her family, so they called the restaurant “The Block” to commemorate that. They are very proud to be Black developers and like to use their success to help promote other Black-owned businesses. That is a part of their Black Wines and Spirits Happy Hour, along with the McBride Sisters Estate Wine “Black Girl Magic Rose,” Uncle Nearest Whiskey, and Anteel Tequila. All Black brands are $5, and Happy Hour is weekdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

DETROIT Black-owned businesses have been hit hard by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and now Facebook is offering a $40 million boost to those struggling businesses through a grant program. Facebook announced 10,000 businesses will get grants that include $2,500 in cash and $1,500 in credit for ads on the social media website. The money comes from $100 million Facebook has set aside for a small business program. Click here for more information on how to apply.

He started selling frames from his apartment in 1994 before opening up shop 20 years ago on Livernois Avenue, near the Lodge. “I love to see the expressions on their face when they see their piece framed,” Vaughn said. The name of his shop -- Eric’s I’ve Been Framed -- came to him while pursuing a career he wasn’t excited about. “He came back in about two weeks with business cards and said, ‘You’re in business!’” Vaughn said. He has advice for the next generation of Black business owners trying to turn their dreams into a reality.