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Succezz: Chicago's Black-Owned Sneaker Boutique That's Been Holding Down Michigan Avenue Since 2008
2214 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
Succezz by B&VDOT is Chicago's Black-owned sneaker and streetwear boutique on South Michigan Avenue — founded in 2008 by LaVelle Sykes, a South Side native with 30 years in the sneaker game, and former NBA forward Bobby Simmons. Named with two z's because they don't sleep, Succezz carries Nike, Jordan, Adidas, and Mitchell & Ness alongside exclusive drops and streetwear for men, women, and kids at 2214 S. Michigan Ave. — the only Black-owned sneaker boutique on Chicago's Michigan Avenue corridor. Sykes built his reputation over decades starting in a stockroom, eventually running Tony's Sports, opening multiple stores, and surviving a looting during the 2020 Uprising with grace that stopped the city cold. Today Succezz stands as one of the most prominent Black-owned retail spaces in the nation, rated 4.6 stars on Google across 232+ reviews, and still holding down the South Side the way it always has.
View Hours
- Monday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Urban Lights Music: The Black-Owned Saint Paul Record Store That's Been Minnesota's Creative Heartbeat for Over 30 Years
1449 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55104, USA
Urban Lights Music is Minnesota's only Black-owned record store and one of just 32 in the entire United States — a Saint Paul institution that has anchored University Avenue in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood since 1993. Owner Timothy Wilson, a lifelong DJ who started spinning records in 9th grade, pooled resources with friends to purchase the original Northern Lights record store, renamed it Urban Lights — "a light in the urban community" — and has kept it alive through the 2008 recession, a global pandemic, and the 2020 Uprising. The store carries vinyl records, CDs, merchandise, and customized items across Hip-Hop, R&B, Soul, Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Oldies at prices from $3 to $50, with vinyl as the crown jewel. Beyond the inventory, Urban Lights functions as a full creative hub — hosting open mics, DJ events every Saturday, poetry and spoken word nights, pop-up shops for local Black-owned businesses, photoshoots, and music production mentorship for young people. Locally owned and nationally known. Over 30 years in, and still a vibe.
View Hours
- Monday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed
A Polished Man: The Black-Owned Downtown Greenville Boutique Where Confidence, Custom Suiting & Community Come Together
220 N Main St suite 500, Greenville, SC 29601, USA
A Polished Man is a Black-owned men's style destination sitting right on Main Street in Downtown Greenville, SC — where dapper meets intentional. From custom suiting and one-on-one style consulting to curated brands like Secrid Wallets, Saphir Polish, and fraternity-inspired accessories, this shop is built for men who take their appearance seriously. They've also expanded into men's wellness with EllieMD peptides, because looking sharp and feeling strong go hand in hand. This isn't just retail — it's a whole philosophy: every man deserves to be a polished man.
View Hours
- Monday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
Tre'Bella Nail & Spa | Black-Owned Nail Salon Chicago South Side | Washington Heights
10349 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60628, USA
Melinda Price built Tre'Bella Nail & Spa into a sanctuary right on S. Halsted in Chicago's Washington Heights neighborhood — a community that deserves exactly this kind of investment. This isn't a conveyor-belt nail shop. Tre'Bella offers Aprés Gel-X enhancements, builder gel, acrylics, and meticulous natural nail care in an intentionally tranquil, personalized space. Melinda's mission is clear: healthy nails, real respect, and a professional experience where every client feels like they matter. On the South Side, that's not just a service — it's a statement.
View Hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed
The Smoking Mountain of Lowertown: How Erta Ale Ethiopian Became St. Paul's Most Immersive Dining Experience
308 E Prince St STE 140, St Paul, MN 55101, USA
Erta Ale is a culture-immersive Ethiopian restaurant and full bar in Lowertown St. Paul, founded by husband-and-wife team Dereje Wudmatas (DJ) and Amy Tsegaye. Named after the active lava lake volcano in Ethiopia's Afar region — "smoking mountain" — the restaurant brings the depth of East African culinary tradition to Minnesota, from family-recipe doro wat (four hours in the making) to shekila tibs served in a live charcoal earthenware oven tableside. Known for its traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony with freshly roasted beans and frankincense, live Ethio-jazz concerts, and rotating Ethiopian art on its walls. A stop on the St. Paul Art Collective's Lowertown art crawls and a Saturday farmers' market vegan buffet destination.
View Hours
- Monday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Thursday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 1:00 AM
- Saturday: 11:00 AM – 1:00 AM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Brûlée: Chicago's Black Woman-Owned Brunch Restaurant Where Southern Soul Meets South Loop Sophistication
2036 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
Brûlée is bringing elevated culinary craft to South Michigan Avenue in Bronzeville — one of Chicago's most historically rich Black neighborhoods. The name alone tells you something: brûlée isn't fast food, it's technique, patience, and mastery applied to flavor. Sitting at 2036 S Michigan Ave, this spot is part of a growing wave of Black-owned dining experiences reclaiming the South Side's food scene on its own terms. In a city where fine dining has long been concentrated elsewhere, Brûlée is proof that excellence has always lived right here.
View Hours
- Monday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Wednesday: Closed
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Saturday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
