Charlotte Ranks 7th in U.S. for Percentage Of Black Owned Businesses

Charlotte Black-owned businesses have always been on the rise, but Charlotte is showing out. Charlotte is ranked 7th in the country with a percentage of black-owned businesses.

A new census report has ranked the makeup of black businesses across the country. This report shows the total number of businesses and what percentage of those businesses are black-owned. Atlanta leads the pack. There are 116,798 businesses. Of those, 8,663 are black-owned with 34.2% of the population being black.

Charlotte slides in at the rank of 7th. Charlotte has 48,835 businesses. Of those businesses, 2,414 are black-owned with 22.8% of the population being black. Congrats Charlotte. Here are the cities and the rank and the percentage of black-owned businesses.

It was just the other day I drove past a small store and saw a line nearly a mile long. The patrons were a variety of people - young, old, Black, White,  Asian, etc. It was only after I got closer to the store that I realized it was a sneaker store.

And then I was in awe over just how committed these patrons were. I later learned, many had been standing in line for hours for the latest pair of sneakers or the 'perfect' pair to add to their collection. They were "sneaker heads." And that's news that should not come as a surprise to me. Especially after ShoppeBlack.us reports the global sneaker market is expected to reach $95 billion by 2028. In the United States, the sneaker market is expected to boom as well. It's predicted to reach $28 billion by 2026.

With such big numbers, I would only make sense that Black-owned sneaker brands will get a piece of the pie. ShoppeBlack.com did some digging and came up with these Black-owned sneaker brands. What I found interesting about these brands is each has a unique story and mission. If you're a sneaker head, than this will be a treat for you, especially as we begin to gear up to recognize Black History Month.

Founded by a woman, Allyson Felix, who is considered the most decorated track and field athlete of all time. She created Saysh as a lifestyle brand for, and by, women. Their mission is to create a future in which inequality is undermined by female creativity and athleticism.

SIA stands for Somewhere In America and is owned by Devlin Carter. The brand is known for its unique and bold designs, making them a popular choice among its loyal following.

ROCKDEEP could be considered the 'OG' of the black-owned sneaker brands. It's a 10-year-old athletic and outdoor footwear company that provides function, style, and quality.

TRONUS is a cutting-edge sneaker brand founded by the first female football player to own a sneaker company, Santia Deck. TRONUS offers limited edition styles and unique packaging.

Q4 is based in Los Angeles, was founded on the four fundamental elements required for success in any game: Purpose, Passion, Dedication, and Focus.

NBA veteran Langston Galloway and his wife Sabrina started Ethics. Their goal is to change the narrative in basketball footwear and ownership of it through a unique product.

Nagast Footwear aims to uplift and create a positive outlook in the Black community.

NinetyNine Products is a footwear brand focused on supporting the communities that drive culture and style while using high-performance technology to build functional products that work in competition and in life.

A footwear brand committed to the highest levels of quality in production, design, and materials while maintaining a commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

Fabrice Tardieu is a sneaker brand known for its hand-painted, “laid-back luxury” designs. Designs are inspired by street cultures in cities like Miami, New York, London, and Paris.