NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — This holiday shopping season, many businesses are reminding people to shop local and many of them are minority-owned.
So, they depend on this time of the year to make it through to the new year.
MOJO Marketing + PR is reminding people about the 50-plus Black-owned businesses that make up historic Jefferson Street.
From now until the end of the year, the community is spotlighting Jefferson Street businesses while inviting locals and visitors to shop, eat and meet on Jefferson Street this holiday season.
Rashad Donaldson says there's something unique about shopping local.
"When you put that dollar in that local business owners hand use, you know that's going to their family. You know their children, you know where they live, and you feel really good and knowing that your efforts and what you give actually build somebody up."
On Tuesday, Donaldson was spending his dollar at Adja’s African boutique.
"I've been in Jefferson Street for seven months. I've been having my business altogether for four years," said Donaldson.
Coumba Adja Palmer sells clothes, soaps, body butters and more out of her boutique.
"I just kind of went with my passion, which is fashion," she said.
Palmer says her mother opened a shop on Jefferson Street and the 50-plus other Black businesses on this street gave her more than enough reason to open a business here as well.
"They supported me, they got behind me, they believed in me, and my craft and they got me to where I'm at now."
According to research from University of California Santa Cruz economist Robert W Fairlie, Black business ownership is now up by almost 30% on pre-pandemic levels.
Women of color in general have been driving new business growth during the pandemic and overall. There is a billboard located at 10th and Jefferson spotlighting Jefferson Street businesses.
"It's my favorite part. I always talk about that. And I'm like anybody that I meet. I always talk about my store because I work so hard to be here," Palmer said.
