Why Shop Black?

With the BE NYC “Shop Black” business directory, the NYC Department of Small Business Services is making it easier to find Black-owned businesses to support across the five boroughs! “Shop Black” will help you find local goods and services while building a stronger, more equitable and more diverse New York City.

• Convenience: “Shop Black” is a comprehensive, City-sponsored list of Black-owned businesses in New York City, featuring more than 2,600 businesses that are searchable by product/service, business category, borough, and/or ZIP Code.
• Customer Service: According to Yelp’s 2021 Update on Black-owned Businesses, in 2021, Black businesses responded to customer reviews at a rate of 22% above the average response rate for all business owners on Yelp.
  Black-owned businesses on Yelp have an average rating of 4.35, nearly three-quarters of a point higher than the average rating of 3.64 for all businesses.
• Community Impact: Black-owned businesses are an essential part of the fabric of New York City, and entrepreneurship has provided a pathway to wealth generation for Black families for centuries.