Success for the Black Business Owner? (Tampa, St. Petersburg: hair salon, gated, shops)

[butterfly19]

About how many black-owned businesses are there in Tampa? Are they successful and well established?

[butterfly19]

Does anyone have an idea? (In addition to hair salons and barber shops)...Is Tampa a good place for the black entrepreneur?

[rohlendorf]

I don't know why race would or should be an issue anywhere? Approximately 25% of the population in Tampa and St. Petersburg are black.

[butterfly19]

About how many of that 25% are business owners?

[TampaKaren]

Originally Posted by butterfly19

About how many of that 25% are business owners?

Several of my local african american colleagues use the black pages. Maybe you can glean some info there...or am I suggesting something you already know about?

[iriebaby20]

I am also looking for a list of black owned businesses in the area do you know of any or any one else

[tonynorie]

I feel that Tampa is yet another example of the prevailing open racial climate nationwide.......opportunity is abundant, regardless of one's race and there will always be ambitious people to capitalize on that opportunity. Although I don't know the percentage or number of black owned businesses you may want to do a search on the Tampa Tribune website as there are occasional articles dealing with the subject.

Personally I would never do business with an establishment based on the race of the owners......seems like that would run contrary to Dr. King's "content of character, rather than color of skin" axiom.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by tonynorie

Personally I would never do business with an establishment based on the race of the owners......seems like that would run contrary to Dr. King's "content of character, rather than color of skin" axiom.

http://bestsmileys.com/clapping/2.gif (broken link)

Very well put.


I pretty much lost the thread once I read about the "black pages". I have a feel Dr. King wouldn't have advertised in something that self-segregated like that. I wonder if Tampa also has a white pages? Asian page? etc.

If you're a good business owner who sells a marketable product or service, and you treat your customers right, then it won't matter if you have polka-dots or green ears. If you don't have a marketable product or service, and/or you treat customers with disrespect, then you'll go under. Business-101.. no special colors needed.

[mquintana]

I agree...Race is not an issue here and people are not going to shun a business owner for their skin color.

Originally Posted by tonynorie

I feel that Tampa is yet another example of the prevailing open racial climate nationwide.......opportunity is abundant, regardless of one's race and there will always be ambitious people to capitalize on that opportunity. Although I don't know the percentage or number of black owned businesses you may want to do a search on the Tampa Tribune website as there are occasional articles dealing with the subject.

Personally I would never do business with an establishment based on the race of the owners......seems like that would run contrary to Dr. King's "content of character, rather than color of skin" axiom.

[naturalist07]

Why should race be an issue? Why is race an issue? Is it negative for a certain race to want to help their own people first? Is it ok for every race except the African race? We need to ask the right questions in the right context.