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How to celebrate Black Business Month in Pittsburgh year-round

Nail artist Le’Chele Barnett, Eminent Hospitality Chef Claudy M. Pierre, and Knotzland Founder/CEO Nisha Blackwell. Photos by Rossilynne Culgan / Jasmine Goldband / RK Mellon, courtesy of Knotzland

Updated June 4

August is National Black Business Month. Though it’s ending in a matter of days, you can continue to celebrate year-round.

To help with that, we asked our readers to name their favorite black-owned businesses in Pittsburgh — and dropped in a few of our own. The responses came immediately and kept coming.

From restaurants to hair stylists to event design and more, we received dozens of shoutouts, a sampling of which we’ve compiled in a guide to help you celebrate black-owned businesses in August and beyond. Is your favorite missing from the list? Email us, so we can add it.

Also be sure to check out the searchable Pittsburgh black-owned business directory Cocoapreneur, launched by Who’s Nexter Khamil Scantling.

Food and drink

  • Eminent Hospitality, salads, sandwiches, and much more (Online)
  • Blowfish BBQ, “low and slow wood-fired Pittsburgh style bbq” (Swissvale)
  • Carmi Soul Food, seasonal, locally sourced soul food restaurant (South Side Flats)
  • Cobbler World, dessert-maker specializing in cobblers, cakes, and pies (Downtown)
  • Dana’s Bakery, a neighborhood staple for over 40 years (Homewood South)
  • Everyday Cafe, a coffee shop and “social enterprise owned and operated by Bible Center Church,” with earnings invested in Homewood-based organizations focused on building “entrepreneurship, youth development, and education” (Homewood South)
  • Kilimanjaro Flavor, “East African soul food food truck” (Multiple locations)
  • Leon’s Caribbean Restaurant, authentic Caribbean cuisine (Allentown)
  • MaddezSweetz, “a deliciously delectable boutique bakery in the heart of Pittsburgh”
  • Power Bites, “gluten free, organic dark chocolate bites”

Clothing, accessories, crafts

  • Blakbirdjewelry, “thoughtfully designed hand-cut metal jewelry”
  • Edo Scribes & Pleasantries, with unique gifts, stationery, and accessories (Middle Hill)
  • Emmanuelle Wambach, “hand built and wheel-thrown ceramic dinnerware and homewares using techniques and styles inspired by my mother”
  • Jones Printing, business cards, signs, and more (Homewood South)
  • Kin of Duncan, “kid entrepreneur who creates T-shirts for kids and fur kids” (Verona)
  • Knotzland Bowtie Co., upcycled bespoke bowties (Homewood South)
  • Lavish Lamb, lavish (obviously) turban and headwrap designs
  • Styling by Chi, which aims “to heal, inspire and share insight through my life and the art of fashion and style”

Hair and nails

Events, marketing, promotions

Others