For over a decade, Monique Burgos has sold handmade jewelry.
“A lot of small businesses have a lot of passion behind it, it’s not a wholesale thing, most of these pieces here I actually make by hand,” business owner Monique Burgos said.
Burgos said all items at her Bloomfield boutique Zephania Marie are faith-inspired.
“Everyone has different beliefs, so I like to say non-denominational jewelry, so if you believe in one thing that is your belief, but it is just to strengthen your faith in what you believe,” Burgos said.
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Select items this weekend are 10% off. Customers can also mix and match jewelry.
Over at The Hat House in Hartford, the Johnsons are offering customers a 23% discount off all black hats.
“It is 2023, end it feeling fly, end it knowing you have stepped into the next year, with your best and brightest on,” business owner Melinda Johnson said.
Melinda and AJ Johnson recently transitioned from only selling their collection Brothers Johnson 1929 online to now opening a storefront on Garden Street.
“Because we are from Hartford and we are in a Black neighborhood, Black city, it’s important we allow people in their own neighborhood to come in and buy things,” AJ Johnson said.
Both Black-owned businesses are featured on Shop Black CT, a volunteer-led website created in 2020 as a way to support and give exposure to black business owners, following the COVID-19 pandemic and death of George Floyd.
“A place where people can find where to shop, where to go if they did intentionally want to support Black-owned businesses, but also a place where those places could receive free marketing help,” Shop Black CT founder Sarah Thompson said.
Over the last three years, the list of Black-owned businesses has grown from 175 to over 2,000. You can submit a business here.
