Black History Month is a great time for us to make more conscious decisions and show up in support of Black Americans. While there are many wonderful resources that support Black Americans across the country, many of these resources are state or nationally focused and are not directed at individual community support. One easy way to support Black people in your community, whether it’s February or not, is to seek out Black-owned businesses near you.
According to Brookings, in 2020 92% of Black-owned businesses said they struggled with financial difficulties. On top of that, many Black-owned businesses struggled to receive aid during the pandemic, and many are still trying to recover today. This means that when you choose to go to a Black-owned restaurant or shop at a Black-owned store, you are making an immediate and positive impact on both individuals and your community as a whole
Luckily for us, there are several different restaurants that are within walking distance, if not a short drive or shuttle ride, from SLU. Here are some places in the area that you can bring your friends, your significant other or yourself this February or any month out of the year:
- Turn is a restaurant located in Midtown St. Louis that does “health-centered comfort food.” They are open Wednesday through Sunday for brunch and dinner, with an extensive drink menu. They’re only 0.3 miles from SLU, so it is a super easy walk for you and your friends.
- Alchemy Bakery: Alchemy Bakery provides beautiful artisan pastries made by chef and St. Louis local Tai Davis. Davis has extensive experience and was even featured on a Food Network show recently. You can order pastries through the website or visit his shop, which is only a two minute walk from SLU.
- Northwest Coffee Roasting Company: Northwest Coffee Roasting Company says that their mission is to “unify communities, stimulate dialogue, and provide hand roasted and brewed full city coffee.” They pride themselves on their-low tech and lengthy process for roasting their coffee. It’s less than a mile from SLU and is a great spot to grab a coffee and a breakfast item for a great start to your day.
- Tasty Treat Snack Shop: Tasty Treat Snack Shop is a family-owned business located less than a mile from SLU. They specialize in comfort food along with a relaxed atmosphere that is great for a laid-back meal. They also do online ordering and carryout if you don’t want to leave your dorm or apartment.
- Bait: Bait markets itself as a “seafood experience” and says that it specializes in “fresh, elevated, and creative takes on seafood.” The restaurant is higher end, so you should book a table through their website before you go, but it is a great spot for a date, especially with Valentine’s Day coming up, or just a nice place to treat yourself. Bait is only a five minute drive from SLU.
- La Pâtisserie Choquette: La Patisserie Choquette is a French-inspired bakery that provides beautiful and elegant pastries made by chef and owner Simone Faure. She makes custom cakes and wedding cakes through requests, but also provides an assortment of goodies in shop, where you can make a reservation for afternoon tea if you’re interested in the indoor seating. The shop is only a six minute drive from SLU.
With all these amazing options near SLU, and even more to find, there is no better time to support local, Black-owned businesses than right now! So grab your friends, your partner, your family or yourself and head to one of the restaurants above and show up for Black excellence in the St. Louis community.