DC Black Restaurant Week spotlights minority-owned businesses
Dozens of local business owners are getting a spotlight for the District’s Black Restaurant Week campaign, which is taking place across the nation’s capital and surrounding Maryland and Virginia counties now through July 27.
The organization behind Black Restaurant Week offers small, minority-owned businesses with marketing and brand awareness. The organization does not take any cut of sales earned during the campaign.
“They’re actually able to see year over year, the sales go up during this period because essentially new traffic’s coming in,” said Falayn Ferrell, the managing partner for Black Restaurant Week. “It’s bringing new dollars in, and we’re not taking any percentage of that.”
Some of the restaurants that are participating are offering different specials and promotions.
“We’re a small, family-owned business that has struggled with marketing and we’re not your average fish carry out,” said Kristal Williams, co-owner of the FishScale restaurant in D.C.
Her restaurant is one of many taking part in the campaign.
“It helps to highlight the amazing culinary traditions and creativity and entrepreneurship of Black chefs and restaurateurs,” Williams said. “It helps to promote economic empowerment and cultural appreciation, and it also helps, again, to just kind of level the playing field.”
FishScale has been in business for seven years on Florida Avenue in the District’s Northwest.
Williams’ brother, Henry Brandon Williams, is the executive chef and curator. He cooks up the restaurant’s menu, which includes meals that mix up a classic cheese steak sandwich with salmon or blue catfish.
“They’ve heard about us, but a lot of times we might be put on the back burner,” Williams said of potential future customers. “But I think with having Black Restaurant Week, it enables people to be intentional and purposeful about supporting minority-owned restaurants that, oftentimes, gets overlooked.”
That’s exactly the idea.
“It’s really fun for consumers to be able to discover something new in their community,” Ferrell said. “And that’s really the beauty of what this campaign provides.”
Black Restaurant Week has been held nationwide for about 10 years, with six of those years including celebrations in D.C.
Investing in these small businesses will pay off for the community, according to Ferrell.
“When you really understand the economics of small businesses, they’re the ones that are hiring first within their local communities,” Ferrell said. “Anytime something happens, like a natural disaster, they’re usually the ones that are feeding the community, giving back. And so, it’s really important to make sure these businesses are sustainable and continue to grow.”