Atlanta’s New Black Wall Street
Tuesday, May 31, 2022 marks the 101st anniversary of the Tulsa race massacre. The massacre occurred the night of May 31, 1921 in a section of Tulsa, Oklahoma where Black business and community flourished. The area became the target of a racism-fueled mob riot that left countless businesses burned and an estimated 300 innocent Black men and women killed. This bustling neighborhood on the northside of Tulsa had previously been referred to as the “Black Wall Street” due to the presence of so much thriving Black-owned business.
Last November, in Dekalb County, Georgia, an homage to the original Black Wall Street was opened in Stonecrest. A 125,000-square foot commercial space with currently over 50 businesses, but with space to ultimately host around 100 vendors, had been the brainchild of businessman and philanthropist, Lecester “Bill” Allen. Allen is founder of the Allen Entrepreneurial Institute, which was launched 20 years ago with the mission of increasing the number of minority and women-owned businesses across the nation.
The New Black Wall Street marketplace, beyond being a hub for Black and minority businesses, is a business development program of sorts, with rent and down payment prices significantly lower than the average retail space. It includes options for entrepreneurs to choose between renting resident merchant spaces, temporary pop-ups, a consignment program where goods can be sold in various anchor shops, as well as a virtual merchant membership. As the current director of the New Black Wall Street, Matt Hampton, explains, “Some people are ready for full-time residency here. Others are pop-ups, some on consignment in the grocery store. We’re trying to scale food businesses and see people grow at various levels.”
Additionally, as this part of Stonecrest is considered to be a food desert, i.e. an area where it’s difficult to find affordable and fresh quality food, a significant number of the retail spaces are reserved for food vendors, from restaurants and bakeries to grocery stores. Aaron’s Gourmet Market is a full-service grocery store at the New Black Wall Street, offering fresh produce, pantry items, frozen goods, a deli, wine and more, all with an emphasis on Black-owned brands.
They also have plans to establish various sit-down restaurants in the marketplace, including the Pink Lion Jazz Club, which features live entertainment and had its grand opening over Mother’s Day weekend. There’s a cajun-inspired restaurant and bar, Gumbo Cafe, being put together which will have seating for up to 125 guests in addition to outdoor patio seating. A soul food spot called Big Mama’s Porch is also in the works. There’s a great variety of bakery and dessert shops and pop-ups that have made their home in the New Black Wall Street marketplace: Icing on the Cake, Cakes by Keon, and Rolls of Flame to name a few. Beyond food vendors, they are also working on building an art gallery to feature local artists and hope to host various events throughout the year.
In fact, on Saturday, May 28th, the New Black Wall Street Market commemorates the legacy of Tulsa’s original Black Wall Street, with a “Taste of New Black Wall Street Market” event from 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM. A $10 entrance pass allows you to enjoy tastings from 10 different food vendors in the marketplace and you’ll also be eligible for special deals, discounts and giveaways. Tickets can be purchased online.
If you aren’t able to make it to the Memorial Day weekend tasting event, don’t worry, you can always check out the New Black Wall Street Market during their regular operating hours, and we highly recommend you do!
New Black Wall Street Market
Operating Hours
Wednesday – Saturday, 11 am – 8 pm
Sundays, 11 am – 6 pm
Address
8109 Mall Parkway
Stonecrest, Ga. 30038
Phone: (770) 559-9610