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2020 Lending Tree Survey report Black-owned businesses in Denver make up just 1.5% of the metro area’s 68,359 businesses. Atlanta, one of the cities where Taylor has seen other black business owners move from Colorado, ranked first in the bank’s rating.
The city of Denver does not track minority-owned businesses, and there are few organized Black business groups that track entrepreneurship in the community.
Taylor said she supports and shops at minority-owned businesses.ESS and all small and medium-sized enterprises, Keep your dollars local.
“I think it’s important to support small businesses because they’re the creators and they keep Denver’s economy thriving,” Taylor said.
“And these are people’s lives.”
Taylor, a Denver native, has seen neighborhoods like Five Points transformed by gentrification. In 2020, he launched a store called. false ego, He sold eco-friendly clothing out of a storefront in downtown Denver. At the time, he was paying $2,000 a month to rent the space. Last time Taylor checked, the building’s current tenants were paying more than twice that amount, he said.
After acquiring the Green Space business in 2022, Taylor officially reopened in 2023 with a new direction: a market where business owners of color can set up shop and thrive despite rising rents. .
Green Spaces vendors pay between $1,250 and $2,000 a month for their booths. Business support services are included in the rent.
“Without green space, I don’t know if we would have the space we have access to here,” Taylor said of Denver’s minority-owned businesses.
Photo: Lindsay Ford, Rocky Mountain PBS
Located just off Walnut Street in the heart of downtown Denver, this colorful hub has everything from candles to exotic international cuisine to florists.
Another section of Green Spaces will serve as a co-working space that is open to the public.
“I think a lot of us are relegated to the aurora world.r, People don’t go shopping in low-profile areas,” Taylor said.
“But people are in this area, they’re coming here,I shop for my family and go to various events. And I think we deserve to be part of these spaces,” he said.
Taylor said one of his main goals in life is to build community and retain local talent.
“I think in Denver, we’re losing a lot of talent to California, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and larger markets that are busier because creators and minority entrepreneurs don’t feel supported. They need community support. We don’t feel like we have a system, so we want to build it here,” Taylor said.
To this end, Taylor designed Green Spaces to provide vendors with marketing, legal assistance, website refreshes, and a variety of other technical support. Taylor said they also offer one-on-one coaching support.
Another section of Green Spaces will serve as a co-working space that is open to the public.
Photo: Lindsay Ford, Rocky Mountain PBS
Kimberly Ward, Owner eternal balance candlehas been leasing space at Green Spaces since April 2023. Ward’s shop sells handcrafted organic scented candles. Renting space on the market costs less than buying space in the surrounding area, she says.
After launching her business, Ward said she took advantage of free product photography for candles and classes and financial assistance through Space’s program.
“I was also able to connect with a lot of women in the business world,” Ward said. “I truly believe that as long as I support women and women support me, my business and myself will always thrive and grow.”
The business owner hopes her candles will help customers focus on their mental health wellness.
“I’m not afraid to share my own struggles with mental health in hopes that I can focus on breaking down the stigma and telling people how important it is to take care of themselves,” Ward said. Told. “Supporting Black/Brown small businesses is essential because we provide so much value to our communities.”
Jones, owner of Black and Blossomed, said Green Spaces has provided her with community and unconditional support. Black and Blossomed sells handmade flower arrangements and flower installations.
Black and Blossomed is one of the businesses operating with Green Spaces.
Photo: Lindsay Ford, Rocky Mountain PBS
“It’s special to have a group of peers and like-minded people to consult and bounce ideas off of,” Jones said. “We all make each other better.”
Jones pays $1,750 a month for Green Spaces’ Black and Blossomed kiosk. Before Green Spaces was founded, Jones promoted and sold Black and Blossomed services through online shops and pop-up shops. Having a brick-and-mortar store wasn’t a goal of hers until Taylor scouted her to set up shop in downtown Denver.
Jones’ store’s tagline is “Grow Culture,” and it focuses on Black people and the Black experience that she thinks Denver desperately needs.
Taylor said he hopes to expand to multiple locations and eventually build curriculum for small businesses and distribute it to other business markets. Now, Taylor is looking to secure sponsors and host creative events at the venue.
“That’s my favorite part: being able to create a space where people feel seen, valued and celebrated for who they are,” he said.
Lindsey Ford is a multimedia journalist for Rocky Mountain PBS. lindsayford@rmpbs.org
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