It’s been 34 years since we printed our last Black Business directory, as our staff scanned the pages of the 1985 directory, they were surprised to see the variety of minority businesses that existed.
Contrary to common belief, the African-American business community has actually grown significantly in the last 34 years.
It’s not apparent by driving through the old neighborhoods, but the fact that our last directory included 390 businesses and this year’s directory has 530 speaks volumes. The numbers tell the story.
What is evident is the trend away from brick and mortar retail outlets. The new generation of Black businesses in Monroe has shown tremendous growth in the service industries and online markets; there were a few 34 years ago, but today’s African-American Business person is a different breed.
Our first Black Business Directory in 1970 was entitled “Black Pages,” and it was nearly all male. We celebrated the breakthrough achievements of women such as Falba W. Williams, who was the head of the Simms and Gundy Funeral Homes. Of course, there were beauty shops and a female barber, but there were no female attorneys, doctors, or pharmacists in Monroe in 1970. That certainly has changed; today, there is even an all-female African-American law firm.
Today, there are hundreds of females in business as professionals, service providers, and entrepreneurs.
Historically, the largest African-American business in Monroe was Reliable Insurance Company, headed by Joseph and Alice Mae Miller. It grew to a point where it had 150 employees and operated in several states. Both companies still exist today, but not to its historical levels.
If there are 530 African-Americans in business in Monroe, where are they?
The 2020 directory reveals a startling truth; hundreds are operating without a brick and mortar address. They work from their homes, using social media to advertise.
For example, there is a first-class chef in the city who went into business for himself. Using social media, he provides home delivery of first-rate meals to homes of his customers. He sends out text messages each morning with photos of his chef-prepared gourmets of the day. Customers respond by text, and meals are delivered on time. He chose not to open a restaurant with all of the associated red tape.
There’s a 13-year-old Monroe Africa-American that earns $1,000 a month with her business. She sells Unicorn jewelry, without an inventory, and drop ships orders to her customers. Her entire operation is mostly profit with little risk.
It’s a temptation to drive down Desiard Street and lament the loss of the Black Business community, but that is a misnomer. It is alive and well but has changed its approach reflecting the times in which we live.
Mom and Pop grocery stores, gas stations, and shops, which were the staples of the past, have given way to new trends.
The three oldest Black businesses in Monroe today are Richardson’s Funeral Home, Miller Funeral/Reliable Insurance, and the Monroe Free Press. Even these veterans are changing their methods to reflect new market trends.
This newspaper anticipated the trend and became the first in our area with a website in 1993. Our app and web presence reach most of our under 50-year old demographic. Times are changing.
Where’s the business directory? It’s housed on the Monroe Free Press App; that’s the preferred method of this generation.
As our readers download the Monroe Free Press App, for iPhone or Android, and look at the various categories of businesses, they’ll find what they couldn’t find in 1985, because none of the extras existed in 1985.
The 2020 Black Business listings will include links to Facebook Pages, Twitter, Websites, and Linked-In accounts on social media.
Unlike the paper directory, it won’t be thrown away after it is read, it’ll always be present at their fingertips of those who want to patronize African-American business.
Agencies that need to find Black electrical, plumbing, concrete and building contractors will find them.
We thank Miss Nicole Rogers, our staff assistant, who spent six months tracking down these businesses. She visited many in person, talked to hundreds, and searched the internet to find the others to assemble this data.
No, the black business community is not dead; it is evolving, mostly under the radar.
A new generation is approaching business differently, but they exist and are growing.
That’s a good thing.
