With Black History month officially underway, many are trying to be more conscious with their consumerism. However, it can be difficult to know where to start.
Luckily, we’ve got you covered. These five Black woman-owned businesses have been declared local favorites.
CoCo’s Off the Rack
Owner Colleen “CoCo” Adams has owned her special-occasion fashion business in East Lansing for 10 years. She said that one of the largest joys of being in the Lansing area is watching her clients grow up.
“Sometimes they're at the dance studio as little kids and then they come back as teenagers, adults and then they're getting married,” Adams said. “Going through the process, watching them as their lives are blooming and blossoming.”
Adams said that she is able to bring her own unique femininity into her work, something that is important to her as a female business owner.
Coco’s Off the Rack is located at 3320 E. Lake Lansing Road and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Monday noon to 6 p.m.
Sweet Encounter Bakery & Cafe
Owner Nikki Thompson Frazier specializes in the creation of gluten-free, soy-free, peanut-free and vegan desserts. She opened up her physical location at 112 S. Washington Square in 2021 after running her business out of her home for six years.
Frazier said that it’s important to support minority and women-owned businesses because they don’t always receive the same funding and capital as their male counterparts.
“There's so many more of us entering into the entrepreneurial world,” Frazier said. “But we don't always get the knowledge and the support that we need.”
Frazier said that the best part of owning her business has been being able to touch the lives of people in the community.
“I have kids and I know how important it is for them to be able to celebrate special occasions with food that they love,” Frazier said. “And food that loves them back.”
Sweet Encounter Bakery & Cafe is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
DBN Boutique
DBN Boutique is a women’s clothing and accessories store. It is owned by MSU advertising management junior Onylah Taggart.
“When I got pregnant with my son, it pushed me to do more,” Taggart said.
Taggart said that she enjoys owning her own business because she is able to create her own schedule. She also appreciates that her store’s closeness to campus allows students to easily walk to her shop.
You can shop at DBN Boutique at its physical storefront, located at 301 M.A.C. Ave., or online.
Socialight Society
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Socialight Society is a bookstore that aims to celebrate Black women by exclusively selling books written by Black female authors.
Owner Nyshell Lawrence said that anybody is welcome at Socialight Society.
“With this celebration, there is no exclusion of anyone,” Lawrence said. “It's amazing when people come in and they're want to learn from a different perspective or just check out something that's not already on their shelf.”
You can shop Socialight Society online or at their physical location, located at 5454 W. Saginaw Highway.
Meika’s Boutique N More sells men’s and women’s clothing, shoes and accessories. Owner Shemeika Barney said that she has always been drawn to the world of fashion, so she loves being able to help other women dress on-trend.
“It was a childhood dream,” Barney said. “When I was 17 years old, I always wanted to open up my own boutique.”
You can shop her products online or in-store 6920 S. Cedar St., Suite #1.
