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Articles from the tag: Black Owned Businesses

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Stevenson's story garnered attention a full two years before the Black Lives Matter movement shined a national spotlight on the challenges faced by Black business owners. It earned him a loyal following from neighbors who said they want to see more entrepreneurs of color and small family-owned businesses in San Francisco's Mission district. But faced with an ongoing pandemic that's left the neighborhood's usually bustling sidewalks unusually quiet, Stevenson continues to look for new opportunities at grocery stores and farmer's markets, hoping to find a steady flow of thirsty customers in ti...

"Well, you know, it's cheaper than real estate," another quipped. For two years, the business grew, and by early 2020, Stevenson had three other people working for him, squeezing lemons in the kitchen and selling more than half a dozen flavors of Gourmonade to thirsty customers. And then, the world shut down. "In the beginning, it was scary," Stevenson said. "We closed down for a good three months. I came to terms with possibly closing down the business completely. ... My main goal was just to keep my family safe. And so, if the business had to go, it had to go."