In an Issues & Politics thread, Zakar said this:

quote:

Originally posted by ZAKAR:
I definitely know not everyone is in areas were there are many black businesses, but we have the net, you can get whatever you want from around the world, delivered to your doorstep. You are right there are enormous oportunities for us to create these businesses of excellence and start to innterconnect them. But i suggest not many black people actively seek out black business, most i will suggest prefer the European or asian products to our own. We have lost so many of our mom and pops as well as niche businesses to other ethnicities those who dont spend a dime with black people, ie, asians, Indians, whites etc

We may not agree on much, but on this point we see eye-to-eye. Since I have web space that is basically sitting idle, I have been tossing this around in my head for a while.

Since moving here to Houston, I have been hard-pressed to easily identify who the Black-owned businesses are.

-I searched, and found, a number for the Tri-County Black Chamber, only to find that the phone had been disconnected.
-I've called the NAACP on the phone and contacted them by email to learn about their testing center (and volunteer opportunities), with no phone call back.
-When I was looking for a gardener, I asked around only to find out that noone was using a Black business themselves.
-I contacted a young man that I met at the Home Depot for patio work with the intention of throwing in a spiff of free business cards at the end of the job (the card he gave me was just plain copy paper cut into squares), but I have yet to hear from him.

I'm throwing down the gauntlet. I have web space that should hold a nice-sized directory. . . Black businesses need a way for consumers to FIND them. I willing to do my part by grabbing a book on php, mySQL or whatever and setting it up. The businesses would only have to take the initiative to submit their information and keep it current. I haven't thought out the details. I just want to do it, if for no other reason than to document and share information on the few Black businesses I have come in contact with.

What say you about this idea? Do you use online business directories. If not, why not? Is there still a Black Pages in your city? I haven't seen one in years.

ATP ...

A while back (not quite a year ago, I don't think ) I wondered the same thing!! We had a couple of posts about the idea when Kweli4Real posed the question HERE and then there was a roughly related thread from back in the day HERE, too

Anyway ... I went Googling (actually, I Yahoo!) and I couldn't find a "Black Pages" listing at all ... but, I did run across several sites that did/do what you are suggesting ... they let people post their business information and it is up to that company to keep of their information current! However, on the sites that I visited at that time, there were very few that had a large number of participants! And those that did were mostly outdated, broken links!

But, as I said, this was sometime ago ... and I haven't tried it again, but, when I can find some time, I will look and see what I can find! I think this is a really great idea! We used to have a printed version of Black Pages that was delivered to our home ... what had to be 20 years ago now!! Never knew why it stopped! But, maybe there is a way to get this idea off the ground!

Thanks so much for the information, ER. I have been able to speak with Kweli about it. You oldheads know all the info.

The word is wisdom, ATP!!! You're supposed to say, "Wisdom!"

(It makes us oldheads feel better!)

Here in Omaha, the Chamber puts out a minority business guide, and then there are black specific websites to alert potential purchasers.

However, this speaks more to the businesses promoting themselves as "black" and their ability to attract dollars in a broader market by not branding themselves specifically as a "black business" and limiting the market.

https://www.oneunited.com/

the first black owned on-line bank

http://www.usebobo.com/

When was the last time you saw a television commercial for a Black owned business? How about an ad in a major magazine?

There are well over 1,197,000 Black owned businesses in the United States. We, at USEBOBO, think it's high time you meet some of them!

Whether at home in your community or traveling, USEBOBO.com can help you support these companies. We'll give you all the information you'll need to patronize the businesses of your choice.

Make sure your city is represented well! Tell the Black owned businesses in your community to register with USEBOBO.com today!