A bright spot on a stretch of 16th street in North Lawndale is Boyce Enterprise, a beauty supply and accessory shop. It's new to the neighborhood; Vetress Boyce opened it in November and said customers started coming in immediately.
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"Not only do we have a food desert in this community, we're limited to where we can shop," she explained.
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Boyce said she enjoys being an entrepreneur and statistics show there's been a surge in Black businesses during the pandemic. In fact, Black business owners are up 38% from pre-COVID levels, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.
"People are figuring out what is it that I really want to do," said Kenya Merritt, with Chicago's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.
Merritt said this is a time of reinvention. It's what Stephanie Hart did. The owner of Brown Sugar Bakery in Grand Crossing branched out into manufacturing candy.
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For others who aren't sure how to start a business, there are community business centers throughout the city.
"We wanted to make sure entrepreneurs have access to resources right in their neighborhoods," Merritt said.
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Evanston is seeing its own entrepreneurial energy. A vacant produce factory will soon be transformed into a hub for Black businesses called The Aux. Ten to 20 businesses will be housed in this space.
"Most of our space is taken and I would say, we are kind of like a hot commodity, and I hope we stay that way for years to come," said Tosha Wilson, co-developer at The Aux.
Also busy is Puppy Haberdashery grooming salon in Ashburn, where the pandemic has actually been a boost for business.
"Everybody got a dog during the pandemic that didn't have one so because of that, we have seen a large influx of clientele," co-owner Lloyd Williams said.
And Puppy Haberdashery is one of several pandemic adversity-to-opportunity success stories they will soon open a second location right here in Hyde Park.