CapNY Essentials: A Guide to Black-Owned Businesses and Black-Led Organizations

Support 250+ Capital Region Black-owned business and black-led organizations by shopping, hiring, posting, contributing funds, volunteering, and learning more about what they do.

Click on the map, below, and you’ll find restaurants, moving companies, marketing and creative firms, artists, transportation services, and much more. This list is far from complete, and you can help develop it! Use this form to add businesses.

Downloadable Map

NOTES: Click on the square in the upper right to open a larger version of the map.

When you’re in the larger map, you can see a list of all of the businesses by clicking on the text that says “…X more” (to the left of the map graphic). Business names will appear, and you can click to get its information and location.

Printable Lists

To read more stories about BIPOC-owned businesses, organizations, and leaders across the region, click here.

Shout out to Shanekia McIntosh of ItheAbstract, Ashleigh Kinsey of AKDesign, and Ada Harper of 5!8BLK for their help creating this list. Photo credit: Soul Fire Farm

West Indies Natural Food and Grocery: CapNY Black-Owned Business

Paulette Clarke has run West Indies Natural Food and Grocery in Hudson, NY for 19 years. Their takeaway menu features homemade beef and chicken patties, oxtail stew, seriously amazing chicken curry, rice and peas, and many other dishes from Paulette’s country of origin, Jamaica.
  • West Indies Natural Food and Grocery

At West Indies Natural Food and Grocery there is great takeaway plus a wide selection of West Indies spices, sauces and specialty food products, and kombucha and drinks in the cooler.

Paulette Clarke came to the United States when she was 18, and raised five sons in Hudson. There used to be a broad mix of residents in Hudson, she said. Lately, though, “New Yorkers bought up the real estate. My customers have moved out to Albany, and Kingston and other places.”

  • An Influx of Visitors

Warren Street is lined with galleries, restaurants, antique stores, and luxury boutiques. It has the distinct advantage of being within walking distance to the Amtrak train station, which makes it a popular destination for New York City residents.

However, this influx of visitors has not been a boon to the West Indies Natural Foods and Grocery. New Yorkers, Paulette said, “don’t come into my store. I want to say, ‘I don’t bite.’ I wish that people would just come in and look around. They don’t even have to buy anything. If someone comes in, it makes the store owner feel good. Don’t just walk by. Don’t ignore my store.”

Paulette is discouraged by the lack of attention her business has gotten from newspapers. She said, they “take pictures of every white business around me. They skip right over me.” Her friend Winston Dunn agreed, saying, “It’s not been easy. Not easy.”

  • Connect with West Indies Natural Food and Grocery
Link

Ada Harper: CapNY Black & Woman Owned Business

Ada Harper is the force behind 518Blk, a site for the Black community to discover events and information across the Cap Region. Ada created 518Blk in 2015 as an outlet to celebrate cultural, educational, social, cultural things happening in the Black community.

  • Prior to the creation of 518Blk, were there other media outlets highlighting local social opportunities for the Black community?

No. The media outlets were not featuring content about events happening in the community of color. There was one beloved newsletter that was geared toward the Black community when I was a kid. The granddaughter of its creator recently created CNYS Black Expo. This event has been put on for the past two years and is growing. Its main function is to celebrate Black entrepreneurship.

  • How did 518Blk evolve?

When I first started 518Blk, I was working on my master’s degree and got a certificate in social media management. I decided it was time to contribute to the social climate by creating my own events. A lot of people would travel to NYC for different experiences that we could have right here at home. I hosted brunches and collaborated with others on various community events. It was uplifting and positive, but I became a caretaker after a family member was involved in a car accident. Soon, the role became overwhelming and I stepped back from 518Blk.

  • What has inspired you to activate the mission of 518Blk again?

The social unrest of police brutality and the injustices happening to Black people. Recent events caused me to sit quietly and process this reality. Some people were reaching out to me asking why I wasn’t posting anything. They were asking me to promote protests, etc. I just had to stop. I had to figure out the “why” behind 518Blk – I was at a crossroads.

Finally, I had a clearer vision of what I wanted. I want to put on bigger and better events, find sponsors, and collaborate with Black-owned businesses. My vision is for a rebrand. I need to reach out to find people who can work on my team.

In order for 518Blk to get additional exposure, horrible things had to happen to Black people. I was plugging along, but not getting much visibility. Due to recent events, white people are asking “how can we help Black people?” I will take this as an opportunity to challenge myself and elevate my brand because what I’m doing with 518Blk is valid and deserves visibility. As Black people, we have to control our narrative and celebrate each other.

  • What actions should people take after reading this interview?

Put your money where your mouth is. Support Black business – use the CapNY crowdsourced Black-Owned Business List.

Connect With 518Blk

Facebook Instagram
  • Written by: Gabby Fisher

Gabby is a brand strategist, entrepreneur, real estate investor, matchmaker, & hypewoman. She is also the Lead Consultant on the CapNY Brand Initiative. She lives in Schenectady with her poodle Mochi and 60+ houseplants. Check out her website!