Black Owned Grocery Store needs help staying Open

[Zero]

This the president

Unfortunately I won't be able to donate due to some unforseen financial circumstances :cacpls:

 

[Tupac in a Business Suit]

Gofund me and kickstarter are creating a culture lazy entrepreneurs

Are you that dense? What is lazy about this? Not going to a bank and the people instead to fund a business is lazy?

 

[Tupac in a Business Suit]

"One of the most challenging things we need help with is expanding our product mix to include a wider range of more affordable and recognizable brands, including established local products. We know for the store to survive, people need to be able to purchase more than just organic products here. We also need to hire a kitchen manager so we can provide more prepared foods.

We are not quitting, but we have to change. We’re adapting to a more efficient store that can better serve the community. You told us what you need to thrive and we are grateful to the customers and our vendors who have helped us grow."


I shook my head when I read this. Black folks will grab some 200 dollar jays, an expensive ride and leather goods to show that they are rich yet they can't invest in proper nutrition? Cats will eat Kennedy Fried Chicken and rock some shoes that would be hot for a week all for what?

 

[The Nigerian]

Please donate to these people. This is a worthwhile cause.

2015 is when we wake up.

 

[Pier7]

Are you that dense? What is lazy about this? Not going to a bank and the people instead to fund a business is lazy?

People feel comfortable speaking on shyt they have no knowledge of, on the net.

 

[Poitier]

Are you that dense? What is lazy about this? Not going to a bank and the people instead to fund a business is lazy?

Not lazy but naive.

 

[newarkhiphop]

Are you that dense? What is lazy about this? Not going to a bank and the people instead to fund a business is lazy?

Did you see the type of things they need funds for?

-air conditioner/heater
-kitchen plumbing
- EBT processing machine broke
- putting up some new signage
- kitchen supplies

These are issues that are going to CONSTANTLY come up in a business,ways to cover for this should be in a expense fund etc. What about when a fridge motor goes out? or you need a freezer or a cash register stops working , another gofundme?

the fact that they were asking for funds for these type of things was a red flag for me. This isn't a fund to open a new store neither , or one looking to expand to other black areas or want to promote a new black made product. That would have been understandable I try not to judge but it smells of mismanagement. Still I hope they raise all the money they need.

These brehs said it best:

I based it off of the initial post. Talking about we need help with website design, selection of items, and other trivialities that any business should automatically be ready for when in operation. We have a ton of African markets here in Houston, all run by blacks. They tend to do well here.

I guess in Houston the idea of a black owned grocery store is no big deal. A well run store will succeed, especially if they cater to the tastes and needs of the community they're in. This entire concept of begging for money, simply because you are unable to efficiently run your business is problematic in my opinion. Especially since these endeavours are for the benefit of private individuals.

But if i lived in the area, i would gladly patronize the market, provided they had the foodstuffs and items i needed. But simply donating to a private business just because? Nah.

Yeah this looks like a bad investment. Their purpose for needing money seems all over the place. Convenient stores have very small profit margins on goods anyway. Its a tough business.. need to do heavy volume to succeed. I'm all for supporting black businesses ( Although 2 of the 4 the founders of this company are not black) but black people need to be smart with our money as well and not be guilted into giving it away.

 

[Tupac in a Business Suit]

Did you see the type of things they need funds for?

-air conditioner/heater
-kitchen plumbing
- EBT processing machine broke
- putting up some new signage
- kitchen supplies

These are issues that are going to CONSTANTLY come up in a business,ways to cover for this should be in a expense fund etc. What about when a fridge motor goes out? or you need a freezer or a cash register stops working , another gofundme?

the fact that they were asking for funds for these type of things was a red flag for me. This isn't a fund to open a new store neither , or one looking to expand to other black areas or want to promote a new black made product. That would have been understandable I try not to judge but it smells of mismanagement. Still I hope they raise all the money they need.

These brehs said it best:

Those are costs associated with running a business. Most businesses take on added debt when they are cash strapped and run into operations issues. The dude also said they needed to funds to achieve a goal of providing affordable products which could increase their margins on such products. He didn't promise that the funding would enable them to be successful but it would help them make an attempt to turn around their business. Tons of businesses are mismanaged and often get financing, new management and return to profitability. Why can't this brothers do that without going to a traditional financial institution?

With that said, I have donated.

 

[69 others]

Did you see the type of things they need funds for?

-air conditioner/heater
-kitchen plumbing
- EBT processing machine broke
- putting up some new signage
- kitchen supplies

These are issues that are going to CONSTANTLY come up in a business,ways to cover for this should be in a expense fund etc. What about when a fridge motor goes out? or you need a freezer or a cash register stops working , another gofundme?

the fact that they were asking for funds for these type of things was a red flag for me. This isn't a fund to open a new store neither , or one looking to expand to other black areas or want to promote a new black made product. That would have been understandable I try not to judge but it smells of mismanagement. Still I hope they raise all the money they need.

These brehs said it best:

i feel the same way. going into business those are things you should be prepared for and have enough money to cover plus they've been at it for 3 years now but who knows maybe they're just trying this as an alternative to see the outcome.

but it's troubling if this is their only option.

also can people stop perpetrating the myth that black people don't support black businesses

 

[Apollo Creed]

The thing is this store is closer to being a Convenient store than a true grocery. Theres a spot in called Sevenanda that most of the "conscious" blacks shop at but its not exactly black owned its a Community run grocery store.

 

[Nigerianwonder]

Did you see the type of things they need funds for?

-air conditioner/heater
-kitchen plumbing
- EBT processing machine broke
- putting up some new signage
- kitchen supplies

These are issues that are going to CONSTANTLY come up in a business,ways to cover for this should be in a expense fund etc. What about when a fridge motor goes out? or you need a freezer or a cash register stops working , another gofundme?

the fact that they were asking for funds for these type of things was a red flag for me. This isn't a fund to open a new store neither , or one looking to expand to other black areas or want to promote a new black made product. That would have been understandable I try not to judge but it smells of mismanagement. Still I hope they raise all the money they need.

These brehs said it best:

They also said they want to hire a kitchen manager and increase the their products they carry. Anyone with business knowledge will tell you labor and inventory are your 2 of your biggest expenses. Why would they increase both of those when they are already struggling to stay afloat? And that would take a lot more than the 22k they were asking for on the fundraiser page.
Now if they were specific and said they were profitable but operating on razor thin margins and just their ac needs to be replaced or something that would be different. But from what Im gathering is that their current business model just isnt working. I would be surprised if they are in business next year.

 

[CASHAPP]

Delete

 

[ISO]

im in the BX...

I've seen African grocery stores...But no black ones...

That shyt is like a rare pokemon

Dominicans got the grocery store shyt on lock, then Arabs. I've seen Mexican and Central American delis in the neighborhoods where they in numbers, I've seen old school Puerto Rican delis, I've seen African delis, Guyanese deli in Castle Hill, Italian and Albanian delis in Little Italy BX, Carribean delis (Jamaican/Trini) but never, ever in NYC have I seen an African American owned Deli.

 

[Poitier]

Dominicans got the grocery store shyt on lock, then Arabs. I've seen Mexican and Central American delis in the neighborhoods where they in numbers, I've seen old school Puerto Rican delis, I've seen African delis, Guyanese deli in Castle Hill, Italian and Albanian delis in Little Italy BX, Carribean delis but never, ever in NYC have I seen an African American owned Deli.

Because we don't get those tax credits immigrants get

 

[Slaimon Khan Shah]

http://www.gofundme.com/boxcar

May Allah guide them to Islam.