Photo: MKE Black - Facebook
MKE Black - Summer Marketplace
MKE Black - Summer Marketplace
The next Summer Marketplace, a monthly event hosted by MKE Black, takes place this Sunday, July 17 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Deer District’s The Beer Garden, 1133 N. Dr. Martine Luther King, Jr. Dr. The event features approximately 20 food, beverage, apparel, arts and crafts vendors.
The Summer Marketplace grew from a food truck fair held on the Beerline Trail in Riverwest during February 2021, explains Ayrton Bryan, interim executive director MKE Black. More than 400 people attended and stood in lines for as long as 35 minutes, even during Wisconsin’s frigid weather. “We thought, ‘we have something here’. Throughout 2021, we were able to bring people together and continue to introduce more Black business owners to the group. It also offered the chance for other communities to engage with Black-owned businesses.”
This year’s first Summer Marketplace in June was well received, Bryan says, and featured food and beverage vendors including Jmakin Jamaican, Boujee Cup of Joe, Style Pop Café, Buddah Luv vegan soul food and catering, and Jamaican Fair Trade Coffee. Bryan notes the same vendors might not be present at every event. “We do an open call. We also reach out to some businesses that have been successful, but we highlight the fact that it’s an opportunity to showcase yourself.”
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The event will feature music by DJ Doc B, along with kid’s activities. The title sponsor for July is SCORE SE Wisconsin, a network of free volunteer small business mentors. They will have a booth staffed by alumni to offer information. “Although it’s a marketplace, it offers so much more as far as opportunities to bring people together,” Bryan says.
The August and September dates are to be announced; check MKE Black’s Instagram (@mkeblackinc) and Facebook (facebook.com/MKEBlackInc) pages for updates.
MKE Black Strives to Empower Black Businesses
Photo: MKE Black - Facebook
MKE Black - Summer Marketplace
MKE Black - Summer Marketplace
MKE Black was formed in 2019 by two Milwaukee natives, Rick Banks and Paul Wellington, to make it easier to locate, connect with and support Black-owned businesses. “They did the work of aggregating a directory,” says Bryan. “At the time, there were about 400 businesses listed. Today, we have more than 700 businesses and we keep getting new submissions—that’s just in the Greater Milwaukee area, and a few in Racine.”
The mission now expands beyond the directory. MKE Black organizers realized that many people were coming to them for information and the stories behind the businesses. To better highlight the businesses and give them a collective voice, Bryan says they focus on helping Black businesses find audiences to support them in more diverse settings and find allies.
Bryan lived in Atlanta and California before moving to Milwaukee. He sees potential and growth among Milwaukee’s Black businesses, especially when empowered to build connections. “Each business has their own unique needs. One could need help with operations, one could need exposure, while another needs marketing. By creating a nexus and a pool where you can find information and who to collaborate with, you can really gain exposure to multiple opportunities and find the right ones. Those one or two opportunities can allow businesses to scale up, grow and see success.”
MKE Black is growing; the all-volunteer organization will soon add a paid position of executive director. There have been more than 9,000 downloads of the MKE Black app, which Bryan emphasizes is 9,000 opportunities for businesses to connect.
For more information, visit MKEblack.org.
