Shopping Small Is Not Inconvenient

A farmer's market loves to see me coming.
Especially if it's one full of Black-owned businesses.

This past weekend, I finally made a visit to The Spice Suite and The Black & Forth Farmers Market.

And I absolutely loved it.

Founded by Angel Gregorio of The Spice Suite, The Black & Forth Farmers Market is a weekly outdoor marketplace hosting all Black vendors at the Black & Forth strip mall in Washington, DC.

There were vendors selling fruit, vegetables, eggs, fresh juice, breads, and meats.

We could also shop at The Spice Suite and a new plant store by Soulfully Stemulated.

I loved that every vendor made it easy to stay connected through social media, a website, or an email list.

That's not always a given for small businesses, especially those that rely heavily on in-person events like a farmers market.

But it means you can shop them when you need to, not just when the market is open.

And that changes the whole "shopping small is inconvenient" conversation.

The inconvenience isn't in the businesses. It's in our habits. We've gotten very comfortable defaulting to big-box stores.

There's nothing wrong with that. It’s nearly impossible to avoid them entirely.

But the tools to help you find Black-owned businesses have never been better:

- Curated lists and guides
- Online creators who spotlight brands
- Newsletters and magazines
- Black-owned brands social media accounts

Most have an online presence and shipping that takes no longer than any other retailer.

The question isn't really about convenience.

It's about whether we're willing to make a small adjustment for something we say we care about.

Our shopping habits reveal our values.

Are yours aligned?