By Mia Khatib
mia.khatib@triangletribune.com
RALEIGH — After the killing of Philando Castile in 2016, Saint Augustine’s University alumnus Kevin Bethea made supporting local Black-owned businesses a priority.
He created the Triangle Black Owned Businesses Facebook page to help small business owners and entrepreneurs increase exposure and connect customers to their services.
“I decided that in order to have our voices heard in the bigger picture in this space, we needed to start spending and sharing and doing business with each other,” Bethea told The Tribune. “It just takes the hard work out of finding someone that looks like you, has the same hardships, the same background to give your money to.”
Patrons turn to the TRIBOB to seek out reliable mechanics or nail technicians, business owners use the page to advertise and introduce themselves, and a community is built through the comment section. The page had a directory of more than 800 local businesses in 2020.
Now Bethea is taking activities offline with a Jan. 19 mixer at King’s Bowling in North Hills. All early-bird tickets have sold out.
KenDreeka Carrington, who owns Facial Xpressions Makeup and Microblading, said being a part of the group has helped her attract more clients. Posts are typically approved by the administrator before uploading, but she has been paying for the past two years to bypass that feature and upload immediately.
“It’s very affordable. I feel like it’s helped me in numerous ways — whether it’s just people knowing me by name and putting a face with the name or just being that person that they need for the service,” Carrington said. “It’s really a great place to promote because people are always looking for things in the group, it’s just a matter of what they’re looking for.”
Matt Wardsworth, who owns a real estate firm and was one of the page’s first followers, thinks of the group as a “trusted source” for customers. He said clients look for businesses more than the other way around, but the next step for the group will be to increase the number of business accounts.
“It’ll be more businesses really putting themselves out there for clients to come to them,” he said. “I almost picture it like Groupon where people go there with expectations of seeing what offers are out there so that you can patronize businesses.”
For Bethea, patrons in the Triangle often lend their support more to white establishments and mainstream businesses. He said people need to support small Black-owned businesses without hesitation and hopes to see more collaboration where people who are educated in business can help these small companies grow.
“Come together more for the businesses that don’t have a place to go because that’s where we need to help,” Bethea said. “I think it’s bigger than just where you’re spending your dollars, but it’s definitely the experience.”
Visit TRIBOB NC on Facebook.
Mia Khatib, who covers affordable housing and gentrification, is a Report for America corps member.
