Where You Shop Matters: Supporting Black-Owned Businesses Strengthens Our Communities
Ohio’s small and locally owned businesses make up more than 99% of businesses across the state and employ roughly 44% of Ohio’s private workforce. Of these, more than 70,000 represent minority communities, with Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs among the fastest-growing drivers of entrepreneurship and job creation across our state (2020 Small Business Profile, 2020).
According to a recent analysis by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, Ohio is home to more than 5,600 Black-owned businesses employing more than 64,000 people. Even more encouraging, the annual payroll generated by these businesses increased by 82% between 2017 and 2023 (Health Policy Institute of Ohio, 2026).
Those numbers tell an important story: Black-owned businesses are creating opportunity, generating wealth, employing Ohioans, and strengthening communities.
As we celebrate these many thriving businesses, we also recognize August as Black Business Month, and an opportunity to intentionally promote, support, and celebrate Black business owners and entrepreneurs.
Black-owned businesses are often brimming with pride, creativity, culture and community. They give consumers opportunities to connect with new interests, discover new experiences, and support entrepreneurs whose vision and investment are helping shape Ohio’s communities.
And sometimes, supporting a Black-owned business can introduce you to something you never imagined you would love.
A few months ago, thanks to Columbus Archery, I officially became a Black archer. Yes, you heard me right. I took an archery class and I loved it!
After being laid off from her human resources position, Antoinette Wooden began exploring ways to manage the stress and uncertainty that came with her professional setback. She discovered an archery class through Groupon and decided to give it a try.
For Wooden, archery became more than a new hobby. It became a way to slow down, focus, and regain a sense of control during a challenging period. That experience inspired Wooden to create something of her own and in 2021, she founded Columbus Archery, the city’s first Black and Queer-owned archery business. Wooden’s mission then and now is to introduce more Black and Brown people to the sport while advocating for archery as a tool for long-term wellness (Essence, 2026).
Her story is a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship is about more than starting a business. It is about creating access, opening doors, building community, and sometimes giving someone the opportunity to discover a passion they never knew existed.
The diversity of Black-owned businesses across Ohio contributes far more than economic stability and workforce growth. These businesses create opportunities for all of us to explore new interests, discover new passions, build relationships, and experience our communities in different ways.
So this August, shop Black-owned, eat Black-owned, explore Black-owned, hire Black-owned, refer Black-owned, and invest in Black-owned.
And when you do, remember that your purchase is more than a transaction. It is an investment in an entrepreneur, an employee, a family, a neighborhood, and the economic future of our communities.
PS If you are interested in learning more about Columbus Archery, check out Antoinette Wooden’s story featured in Essence digital magazine.
References
Business Journal. October 2025. Report: Ohio’s Jobless Rate Highest Among Young Adults
Ihlenfeld, Charlie. Southall, Megan. June 2026. Miami Valley News
YouthWorks program helps teens overcome summer job barriers
Trendlines Employment and Training Administration. July 2025. Issue No. 10. Youth
WYSX-ABC6. 'Teen Takeover' breaks out in fights, shuts down church event. June 2026.
WSYX Staff. Columbus City Council to vote on youth curfew after violent incidents.
June 2026.
Comments