Urban Lights Music in St. Paul is hosting a DJ Night and Fundraiser on June 12 featuring an all-vinyl house, funk and disco set from MPLS House, vinyl giveaways and community connection to help keep a meaningful Black-owned creative space alive in the Twin Cities.
black-owned business
Posted inBest of Black Businesses
Nominations Are Now Open for the 2026 Best of Black Business Awards
Nominations are now open for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s Second Annual Best of Black Business Awards. Submit your favorites across five categories through June 30, 2026, with winners celebrated at a live ceremony on Nov. 7.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
Unique Fashion and Accessories brings affordable style and resilience to Crystal
Black Business Spotlight: Unique Fashion and Accessories owner Betty Sanders built a decade-long boutique business rooted in survivorship, affordable style and community empowerment after two battles with breast cancer changed the direction of her life.
Posted inOpinion
Policy shifts are reshaping Black and immigrant business economy
Procurement expert R. Lynn Pingol argues that Minnesota’s small businesses are facing a perfect storm of federal shocks, from DEI restrictions to DBE rollbacks and SBA delays, landing hardest on Black, immigrant and BIPOC-owned firms with the least margin for disruption.
Posted inBusiness
NEON Launches $22 Million Collective Kitchens Hub, Giving Food Entrepreneurs Room to Grow
The Northside Economic Opportunity Network celebrated the grand opening of NEON Collective Kitchens, a 25,000-square-foot commercial kitchen and food business incubator on West Broadway designed to help North Minneapolis food entrepreneurs scale their businesses.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Erick Goodlow on Golf, Legacy, and Leaving Corporate After 30 Years at Medtronic
On this episode of Blacklight on Sports, host Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald sits down with Erick Goodlow, co-founder of Fairway Foundation and architectural firm Formula, whose two lives span 25 years of youth golf access and building the only fully Black-owned architecture firm in the Midwest.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
Urban Lights Music continues legacy as one of the Twin Cities’ last Black-owned record stores
Urban Lights Music, one of the last Black-owned record stores in the Twin Cities, has survived 32 years on University Avenue in St. Paul through industry shifts, the pandemic, civil unrest and construction by staying rooted in community and culture.
Posted inBusiness
Rib tips with a side of ‘Edina hot’ sauce: Two Minneapolis friends build flourishing barbecue stand
Just Paula’s has become a Minneapolis Farmers Market staple, serving slow-smoked ribs, brisket, and chicken while building community through food, family, and craft.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
Five-Star Chuck: A locksmith built on trust
One early winter morning in Oakdale, Minnesota, the cash drawer at a HomeGoods jammed shut with the night’s revenue locked inside. Management needed it opened immediately. The call went to one man: “Five-Star Chuck.” Less than an hour later, Charles “Chuck” Bradley was on site, opening the drawer with practiced precision. The store opened on […]
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
Beyond New Distribution Center
The Beyond New Distribution Center, founded by Marsha D. Carter, provides affordable furniture for people transitioning out of homelessness, along with thrift, empowerment, and community programs.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
Cici’s Cupcakes
Cici’s Cupcakes offers bold, custom flavors made-to-order by Minneapolis baker Ciara Flowers.
Posted inLocal & State
New Champlin studio makes podcasting more accessible
Former Fox 9 anchor Dawn Stevens and husband Landen have opened Minnesota Podcast & Content Studio in Champlin, a new space designed to help entrepreneurs and creatives produce high-quality content.
Posted inSports
Talking games and cookies
MLB pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson is blending baseball and business with his cookie brand The Cozy Cookie, now available at Target Field. The 24-year-old shares how sports, family, and sweet tooth moments inspired the launch.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
36 Lyn Refuel Station
36 Lyn Refuel Station marked its 20th anniversary with a celebration of local culture, clean energy, and community. Under Lonnie McQuirter’s leadership, the store has become a national model for socially conscious retail.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
Truly Natural Hair Studio
Truly Natural Hair Studio in Minneapolis offers a wellness-centered approach to natural hair care, led by owner Chanda McDaniel’s 30+ years of expertise.
Posted inMSR In the News
WCCO-TV Celebrates the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s 90th Anniversary
WCCO-TV has featured a news story honoring the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s 90th Anniversary, celebrating the newspaper’s enduring legacy as the state’s oldest Black-owned business and its impact on local journalism and community advocacy.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight, Business, Featured, National, News
Black Business Spotlight: CURLS
The alliance will help level the playing field for Black store owners.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
The natural healing path to wellness
Brandi Phillips’ company, the Wellife 360 LLC, boasts a holistic path to getting in shape and maintaining good health.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight, News
Black Business Spotlight: Pimento Jamaican Kitchen
Over the past seven years, Pimento Jamaican Kitchen has become a Twin Cities fixture for Jamaican cuisine.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight, News
Black Business Spotlight: Cajun Twist
The cozy eatery specializes in Cajun and Créole cuisine, offering such staples as gumbo, zydeco rice, jambalaya and yaka mein along with a special Bayou Burger.