From Running Gloves to Ice Cream!
Happy February! This year we are honoring Black History Month by highlighting Black-owned businesses in our hometown of Baltimore.
Did you know that the net worth of a white American family is almost 10 times higher than the net worth of a Black American family? The collaborative initiative Path to 15|55 has researched that the American economy would grow by $55 billion if just 15% of Black-owned businesses could hire one more employee. Supporting Black-owned business is a good choice for supporting your community, the U.S. economy, and most importantly, a step to closing the racial wealth gap.
Some of these businesses on our list are local, and others are based in Baltimore but available for purchase nationwide. We hope you’ll read about each of their stories and consider supporting them. We also hope that you will find Black-owned businesses in your community to support this month, and all year long.
Drumroll, please, for our Baltimore favorites…
TAHARKA BROS. ICE CREAM: Whether you live in Baltimore or are planning to visit Charm City, you *must* try Taharka Bros. Ice Cream. This employee-owned
and operated business makes some of the best ice cream you’ll ever taste. An honorable mention goes to their Honey Graham flavor that has sustained the Lily Trotters team through many evenings. Taharka became an employee-owned cooperative in 2020 and has a deep history of involvement in Baltimore communities. You can find out more about their story, AND order some ice cream* here: https://taharkabrothers.com/pages/our-story *they now ship nationwide!
WHITEPAWS RUNMITTS: Susan Clayton is a runner who used to have cold
hands. She could not find mittens or gloves to keep her warm on long runs, so she made something brand new. These thumbless, convertible mittens give you total flexibility over the level of warmth you need.
You’re going to want to add WhitePaws RunMitts to your gear list, believe us. We have an extra-special connection to Susan because she is a Title 9 Mover and Maker, just like Susan, founder of Lily Trotters! It’s so fun to support a business owner who has an awesome product and feels like a long-time friend. Read more about Susan Clayton and do your hands a favor: https://runmitts.com/home-1
CHARM CITY CHOCOLATE: February is also a month of love, and Charm City
Chocolate has all the sweet things for your Valentine. Lily Trotters team memberRachel gets a Charm City Chocolate haul every year for Valentine’s day but can never seem to make the treats last. These chocolates are hand-made in small batches, using family-owned recipes. They’re simply *the best*. Order for pick up if you’re local OR have some amazing treats shipped right to you: https://www.mycurbsidechocolate.com/faqs
MYLESTONE FITNESS: You might recognize this face.
Myles is a member of our Lily Trotters FLOCK and models for us from time to time. Myles is a top-tier personal trainer who takes a holistic approach to training. His philosophy is that health is “More than Movement.” One conversation with Myles and you’ll want to train with him - he’s that good AND he’s that much fun to be around. Read more about what Myles has to offer and get in touch with him here: https://www.mylestonefitness.com/
We asked Myles to share his story with us, and you can watch that here: https://youtu.be/6ooekCe97Z0
REGINALD F. LEWIS MUSEUM: Ok while it’s not technically a business, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum is a must-visit if you find yourself in Charm City. If you’ve ever met someone from Maryland, you know they’re a little crazy about state loyalty. The Lewis Museum gives us endless reasons to be proud of Maryland. It is a key resource for information about the lives of African American Marylanders, including Reginald F. Lewis. Lewis was a Baltimorian who built TLC Beatrice International Holdings and became the first African American to build a billion dollar company. Visit the museum to learn about him and the accomplishments and struggles of African American Marylanders in the last 400 years. Visit: https://www.lewismuseum.org/
Looking for more Baltimore-based Black-owned businesses? We got you covered! Visit Baltimore has compiled a guide of restaurants, apparel, bookshops and more: https://baltimore.org/what-to-do/black-owned-businesses/ Don’t miss the PDF version of the guide for the full list.
If you aren’t based in Baltimore, but would like to find Black-owned businesses in your area, sites like By Black and Official Black Wall Street are great resources!
P.S. - a special shout out to Maryland’s newest governor, Wes Moore! Governor Moore is the first Black governor of Maryland and the third Black governor of any U.S. state!
