NewBo City Market is celebrating Black-owned businesses in Cedar Rapids with two upcoming guest vendor markets.
The first shopping event is on Saturday, Oct. 24, and the second event will be on Saturday, Nov. 14. Both events will be held at the market, 1100 3rd St SE, and run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Face coverings are required for both attendees and vendors.
There will be businesses selling a variety of products, from skincare to baked goods to jewelry. There will also be businesses that offer various services, such as event planning and photography.
“The importance of supporting small businesses right now … is still here,” said Alexandra Olsen, NewBo’s marketing and development director. “The need for small businesses to survive is still here, and we just hope people see the value of buying from a Black-owned business.”
With the holiday season quickly approaching, NewBo is encouraging shoppers to focus on supporting small businesses, rather than turning to online giants like Amazon for everything, Olsen said. NewBo intends to use the two events and their social media accounts to highlight those businesses and their owners.
“This is a great way for us to reach out even further, beyond our scope of businesses that already know about us,” Olsen said. “We wanted to show others that haven’t been here before that we are there for them too.”
There will be a variety of vendors to shop from, including Ki’s Blingy Things, Interior Love Home Designs, Emi’s Treats, and C&P Soul Food Cafe. NewBo partnered with LaShelia Yates from the head of the Multicultural Small Business Institute to connect with Black-owned businesses and advertise the event.
“We want people to see themselves here, and a visual representation is a really big part of that,” Olsen said.
