CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago wants to turn Black Friday into Black Shop Friday this year.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined the Chicago Urban League and Chicago agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul on Tuesday to announce the launch of Black Shop Friday, a campaign encouraging Chicagoans to shop at Black-owned businesses on Nov. 27.
The day after Thanksgiving, widely known as “Black Friday,” has historically been one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
“Supporting Chicago’s small businesses has been a priority of mine since even before taking office,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “This inspiring partnership allows Chicagoans to discover the hundreds of Black-owned businesses in our city, driving the investment dollars that are needed now more than ever, and giving everyone a chance to make this new shopping holiday a huge success.”
The Black Shop Friday initiative encourages Chicagoans and beyond to “spend green, shop Black” as they shop online and order food to go this holiday season. The campaign includes a new website, www.BlackShopFriday.com, that will be live on Nov. 24, and will offer a guide to more than 500 black-owned businesses in Chicago. The site will be updated on an ongoing basis and allows consumers to search by category and/or neighborhood to find the merchandise and gifts they are looking for throughout the holiday season.
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"We know that Black-owned businesses have less access to capital and other resources needed to be successful," said President & CEO Karen Freeman-Wilson. "Black Shop Friday is an important campaign to raise awareness of these challenges, while also providing a mechanism for people who want to be intentional about supporting black businesses."
In its 2019 State of Black Chicago Report, the Chicago Urban League highlighted U.S. Census data that showed Black-owned businesses in Illinois have smaller sales receipts and fewer employees than other businesses, contributing to a racial wealth gap that impacts Chicago communities. The Black Shop Friday campaign aims to help narrow the wealth gap and strengthen neighborhoods across the city.
The full list of shops participating in Black Shop Friday will be found at the website www.BlackShopFriday.com.