HOUSTON — Small Business Saturday is a day to support local mom-and-pop businesses.
In Spring, a Black-owned supermarket opened its doors for the first time this weekend. KHOU 11 News got a look inside the store and all the items they say are from Black-owned companies.
Owner Robert Thomas turned District 1960 Nightclub into District Market Green Grocer. Thomas said he’s always had a passion for nutrition.
“Educating people on food, I love that,” he said.
He said the pandemic shutdown the nightclub he owned and operated for five years.
“This was a club before and I renovated it. They shut me down with the pandemic,” Thomas said.
Thomas said it’s Houston's first Black-owned supermarket and juice bar.
“That is my vision, to vegetate the Black community," Thomas said.
Inside the store, located at 3337 Cypress Creek Parkway, you’ll find fruits, veggies, and various products from about 40 vendors.
They're all locally produced and Black-owned.
"There's really a lot of different things in this store I’ve never seen before,” customer Michael LeBlanc said.
“It's quite special, actually, we don’t have this. Especially in this area, we only have Walmart and Kroger’s and after that it kind of gets a little dry,” customer Travia Jones said.
Thomas said it's just the beginning.
“Eventually, it will just be products in here and no vendors, just a regular store," Thomas said.
Thomas said he hopes to expand into an international supermarket.
His vision already has people vowing to return.
"We will be back,” Jones said.
"We need to come out and support one another, just bring each other up to support, you know,” LeBlanc said.
District Market Green Grocer is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.