Like many youth of color, Seanie Sheppheard dreamed of a world where Black culture and entrepreneurship were celebrated and accessible, a world with stores and products that reflected her.
She got a glimpse of that world when, at 17, she visited a Somali mall. Then she set about making her dream come true.
Sheppheard, of Maple Grove, curated a list of more than 300 Black-owned businesses and, in 2021, opened Black Market Minneapolis. The pop-up market is held in the Lab, a self-pour taproom in St. Paul, the second Saturday of the month.
"I've always wanted a space to bring people together and have a good time," she said. "There were always pop-ups, but typically a white-centric experience, which is fine, but we wanted to add our culture, our vendors."
Last year, Sheppheard added a Summer Series pop-up at the Minneapolis Farmers Market Annex. Like its indoor predecessor, the outdoor summer market offers Black-owned businesses without brick-and-mortar stores a place to sell their wares.
But the Summer Series has more of a relaxed, street-fair vibe — complete with barbecue, family activities, a DJ and special attractions like displays of custom cars and hot rods. Of course there are vendors, offering everything from cakes to jewelry and colorful apparel.
Sheppheard credits her co-founder, George Shannon, for the Summer Series, a seasonal extension of the year-round market. The pop-up was part of the Stone Arch Bridge Festival and Juneteenth events in Maple Grove and St. Louis Park. It also will be featured during the Aquatennial.
"Visibility of our businesses is one of the first things that's important," said Sheppheard. "Having the market shows the multitude of businesses in our community."
Sheppheard also operates mnblacklist.com, a resource with 500 Black businesses in Minnesota. On the website, shoppers can find handmade jewelry, sweet and savory foods, books, apparel and more.
On June 25, the Summer Series will have a soul food theme. Jahbri Merritt, owner and operator of Chefwitdaleft Kitchen, will be selling his unique scratch-made pot pies.
"Pot pies aren't reinventing the wheel, but I present new and interesting flavors," he said. "It's comfort food and mixing in Southern traditions," including a Minnesota Nice pot pie with wild rice.
Merritt, who's trying to get his pot pies into local stores, said he's thankful for the platform that Black Market Minneapolis has given him.
"They have helped expand businesses and scale them to a bigger success," he said. "They have done a tremendous amount of work for BIPOC businesses, and I'm extremely grateful."
Another grateful business owner is Otieno Nyangweso, owner of Uhuru Bookstore. The online store carries books not easily found in mainstream bookstores, including titles on African history, slavery and Black American history.
"Books on African culture aren't prominent in the U.S.," he said. "Its difficult for a Black person to know what books are out there and what to look for. Us bringing the books to where the people are exposes them to what's out there."
A monthly participant in the market, Nyangweso said there's an increasing need for Afro-Centric literature.
"Incidents like George Floyd kind of propelled us back into the Black marketplace. The way it's going, we may end up with a bookstore in the near future," said Nyangweso.
If you go:
Black Market Minneapolis Summer Series: June 25 and July 30. 200 E. Lyndale Av. N., Mpls. theblackmarketevents.com.
Black Market Minneapolis: Second Saturday of each month. 2-7 p.m. 767 N. Eustis St., St. Paul. theblackmarketmpls.com.
