The African Market Place in Sacramento is a vibrant hub that brings the community together, especially during challenging times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a place where the sounds of drums fill the air, the aroma of delicious food tantalizes the senses, and the voices of vendors and customers blend in a lively exchange.
Founded by Brother Ra, the market emerged from weekly Sankofa workshops focused on economics and African American history. In 2015, Brother Ra collaborated with the owner of Florin Square to launch a monthly market, testing its viability. With the involvement of community activist and entrepreneur Berry Accius, the African Market Place became a reality, operating on the first and third Saturdays of each month.
A Cultural Empowerment Center
“This was a collaboration of community members that didn’t get any financial support via the government,” community activist and entrepreneur Berry Accius said. According to Brother Ra, many have gone on to open a storefront in Florin Square and a few collaborated to start The Pop-up Shop in Arden Mall featuring local entrepreneurs’ products in the store, set to have their grand opening Saturday Feb. “The African Market Place is a cultural empowerment center where a person could come through there and they could start filling their lives with the African diaspora,” Brother Ra said.
Economics as an Empowerment Tool
“It’s important that we use economics as an empowerment tool for our people, which is something we’ve been lacking,” Brother Ra said. Some, like vendor Eunice Kaeasa, say they have not seen anything quite like the African Market Place. “It gave me an opportunity to showcase our stuff and culture,” Kaeasa said.
The marketplace hosts dozens of local vendors selling food, hand-made clothing, fragrances, jewelry, and the like. “Before I found the African market, I struggled to try to know where to bring my books and how to connect because there weren’t a lot of places,” Jaleane said. “Being here is a connection. It’s just Black Pride.
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Brother Ra said he has watched money circulate within the market from vendor to vendor and stay in the Black community. He recalled a woman without the money for a vendor fee setting up and by the end of the day being able to pay him the fee and have money to buy her family food. “We are who we’ve been waiting for to empower ourselves, to uplift ourselves out of our condition,” Brother Ra said.
Jollof U Luv African Market: A Taste of Home in Redding
The opportunity to bring these and other items to people living in greater Redding convinced Mabel and Monroe Collins to open Jollof U Luv African Market on Hilltop Drive in March. Those are just some of the foods and cooking ingredients that can make Africans living abroad get nostalgic over dishes from their home countries. The market offers a wide variety of products, from pantry staples to prepared meals and desserts. Cans of palm cream and "garden eggs" from Ghana. Packages of pepper soup powder from Cameroon. Sweet Chin Chin nugget desserts from Nigeria and long links of cassava bread.
Looking for a suitable place to raise their three young children under the age of five, the married couple, who are originally from the west African nation of Liberia, had moved to California from Pennsylvania and put down roots. Theirs is the only store of its kind in Shasta County, said Mabel Collins. She said people wanting products used to prepare authentic African and Caribbean foods were driving to Sacramento to get them. "We ourselves had to go through that journey as well," said Mabel Collins, a registered nurse.
"Originally, we didn't have the thought of starting a business," she said. After living in the area, she said, "we realized that (with) the trouble we have to go through to get what we need in terms of groceries and other things, we decided, 'OK, this would be good for the community.'" Monroe Collins described his strength as conducting business planning and accounting for the store. His wife handles the grocery's sourcing, merchandising and product selection, he said. "She is the person that put the store together. Some have come to Redding to work in the region's health care field or to attend Simpson University or Shasta College, she said.
The store is likely to help draw more Africans to the community, said Monroe Collins, a social worker. "I feel like people now are considering Redding since they now have an African store because that is one of the criteria for most Africans when they go into different counties or states. Wherever they live, they want to have a store that has their food because food is a big part of Africans' (lives). Our type of food is very special." Other shoppers who are curious about the store's offerings have also come by, including Redding resident and first-time customer Carolyn Gomes.
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On a recent afternoon, Gomes browsed shelves stocked with packages of dried honey beans, a staple in Nigeria. There were packages of African black salt, plantains, flours made from various grains including millet and corn and other goods. And the 'Garden eggs'? That's another name for a variety of eggplant. "There's so much. You could be in here all day," said Gomes.
The store has freezers stocked with products including vegetables, fish, chicken and other meats. They also carry desserts from a supplier in Sacramento, including coconut cake and mocha cake, which combines the flavors of chocolate and coffee. They sell cold drinks including ginger beers and dried ingredients for making sorrel hibiscus tea. Jollof U Luv also carries foods to go that are prepared locally by Amazing Alheri, a Redding restaurant that specializes in African cuisine and operates out of Sizzle's commercial kitchen on Placer Street. And Jollof U Luv customers have come to the grocery from Chico, Red Bluff and Oroville.
The couple has spread the word about their new store through a non-religious social group called Africans in Redding. "We try our best to cater to everyone," Mabel Collins said.
Sacramento's Black-Owned Businesses: A Thriving Economy
February is Black History Month, a time for us to celebrate the generations of African Americans who helped shape our nation. The following list was made possible, in part, by Sac Black Biz, a searchable database designed to connect consumers to African American business owners and entrepreneurs in order to bring attention to their role in a thriving economy. Following are just a handful of black-owned (and co-owned!) businesses throughout the greater Sacramento area.
Here's a glimpse into some of the Black-owned businesses that contribute to Sacramento's diverse and thriving economy:
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- Underground Books: More than just a bookshop, this Oak Park hub hosts lectures, book signings, and poetry readings.
- The Pop-Up Shop at Arden: Located in Arden Fair Mall, this shop features fashion, accessories, and products from local entrepreneurs.
- Sac City Stems: This East Sacramento shop offers a wide variety of houseplants.
- 1 Up Retro Clothing: Find carefully curated vintage clothing from the 80s and 90s in Oak Park.
- Bask Farm: Specializing in edible flowers and microgreens, this farm also offers all-natural skincare products.
- Book Queens: An online shop dedicated to educating communities on African American culture.
- Tiferet Coffee House: This coffee shop inside Mercy Medical Plaza in East Sacramento is known for its personalized service.
- Classy Hippie Tea Co.: Offering a wide variety of teas, from Earl Grey to Moroccan mint.
- Q1227 Restaurant: Located in Roseville, this restaurant offers an upscale take on Southern comfort food.
- Queen Sheba: A family-run restaurant on the Broadway corridor in Sacramento serving authentic Ethiopian cuisine.
- Daddy O’s Smokehouse: This Rancho Cordova smokehouse serves ribs, pulled pork, and brisket slow-smoked using traditional methods.
- Café Connection: One of the few eateries in Sacramento specializing in Caribbean cuisine.
- Midtown Bakery: Offering a wide selection of cakes, pies, cookies, and muffins.
- Urban Roots: A craft brewery and smokehouse close to Midtown Sacramento.
- Bump City Wine Co.: With a primo spot in the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg, Bump City Wine Co. produces wine from five varietals, including chardonnay and zinfandel.
Other notable businesses include Black Lily Naturals (home fragrances and body care), Black Coffee Roastery, FIG Mobile Fashion, Chef Jeff Taylor's baking creations, Louise's artisan shea butter and goat milk soap, Chef Pharoah's 1837Vegan pop-up, Nurelle Creations (original art and ethically sourced products), Isabel Emilie's healing and coaching services, Lit Lemons (fresh squeezed lemonade), Blossom Bathhouse (handmade bath and body care products), and Ajani (local DJ and producer).
These businesses, along with the African Market Place, showcase the entrepreneurial spirit and cultural richness of the African community in Sacramento.
| Business Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Food & Beverage | Q1227 Restaurant, Queen Sheba, Daddy O’s Smokehouse, Café Connection, Midtown Bakery, Tiferet Coffee House, Classy Hippie Tea Co. |
| Retail & Fashion | Underground Books, The Pop-Up Shop at Arden, 1 Up Retro Clothing, FIG Mobile Fashion, Black Lily Naturals |
| Services | Isabel Emilie (healing and coaching), Ajani (DJ and producer) |
| Farming & Skincare | Bask Farm, Blossom Bathhouse |
| Brewery & Winery | Urban Roots, Bump City Wine Co. |
