MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — Walking up to the Muskegon Heights Farmers Market this weekend, you're immediately greeted by the smell of barbecue. Walking in you're met with wall-to-wall vendors, and rows filled with people reconnecting at the second annual Buy Black Weekend.
"It feels like home," says Selma Bryant, one of the 62 vendors. Selma was at last year's event as well, selling stuffed animals and custom made jewelry.
Selma's not the only one who feels that way. Jennifer Ross, the event organizer, says the familiar atmosphere is specifically what she wanted - to make people feel welcome in Muskegon Heights.
“You’re gonna run into somebody you know, it’s Muskegon - we’re a small community," she says. "It feels like a family reunion."
The aisles of the market are filled with people young and old. Ross says that's important - young kids get to see dozens of Black business owners succeeding in their community from a young age.
“That’s a beautiful thing," she says. "Honestly it’s something I wish I had seen more of when I was a kid."
For others, the day shows the importance of supporting local businesses. Miss-Shavon and Ross Stokes started a business making custom products last year, and they say the support they've received has been amplified by their community. They say events like Buy Black Weekend can shift the way people view Muskegon Heights, and will benefit the city as a whole.
"It’s like circulating that dollar within the community," Miss-Shavon says. "Sometimes that’s what needs to happen to rebuild the community."
"It increases our tax base," adds Muskegon Heights Mayor Walter Watt. "It gives [businesses] a revenue and gives us downtown traffic that we desperately need."
Ross says the goal is to keep having Buy Black Weekend each year leading up to Labor Day. The event will be open Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. as well.
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