How A Content Creator Built the #1 Marketplace for Black Owned Spirits
In this episode, Charles Everett shares how he built a thriving e-commerce platform, one bottle at a time. Charles opens up about how his idea started during the pandemic, what it takes to build partnerships in a highly regulated industry, and how he’s helping consumers discover and shop hundreds of Black-owned liquor, wine, and non-alcoholic brands.
From Curiosity to Community
When Charles first stumbled upon Brough Brothers, a Black-owned distillery from Kentucky—during the COVID-19 lockdown, he had no idea that simple discovery would launch him on a journey to create the nation's largest Black-owned spirits marketplace. Today, UrFriendCharles.com features over 300 Black-owned wines, spirits, and beverages, shipping to 46 states and changing the landscape of how we discover and support Black-owned brands in the alcohol industry.
More Than Just a Celebrity Brand
The spirits industry has become saturated with celebrity-backed brands. Charles saw something different: an opportunity to showcase that you don't need celebrity status to represent Black excellence.
That authentic, friend-to-friend approach resonated. By the time Charles hit 5,000 TikTok followers, brands started reaching out. His first connection was with Cask & Cane, a Black-owned rum made in Alexandria. Meeting the founder at his home, seeing his rum cellar, and connecting with his family crystallized for Charles how important this work truly was. People wanted to support Black-owned products, they just didn't know these brands existed.
Building the Marketplace: A Two-Year Journey
While Charles had owned UrFriendCharles.com for over two years, it initially served as a simple directory with affiliate links. The transformation into a full e-commerce marketplace took intense focus over four to five months.
After about 15-20 meetings over the holidays, Charles found a technology partner who believed in his mission. He taught himself Shopify, learned about shipping logistics, partnered with retail suppliers, and set a hard deadline: April 26th.
The result? A platform that now offers:
Over 300 Black-owned products (and growing toward 500)
60+ Black-owned wines
Black woman-owned glassware
Non-alcoholic options
Black-owned seasonings and mixers
Shipping to 46 states
The Reality of Barriers in the Spirits Industry
Charles is candid about the challenges facing Black-owned spirits brands. While he notes that barriers exist for any small brand, the spirits industry presents unique obstacles including regulatory challenges, expensive start up costs, liquor aging and distribution difficulties. Based on how hard it can be for a small brand to enter the spirits industry, UrFriendCharles.com is critical for providing visibility and access that tradition systems don’t offer.
Mindful Drinking and Non-Alcoholic Options
Recognizing changing consumer preferences, Charles has embraced the growing trend toward mindful drinking and alcohol-free options. The platform includes non-alcoholic selections, and Charles is adamant about promoting responsible consumption. Charles notes that mindful drinking isn't just about sobriety journeys. It's about having sophisticated beverage options that don't require a buzz.
What's Next: Your Friend Charles 2.0
Charles isn't resting on his success. The next 12 months will bring several major developments:
On-Demand Delivery
Working with partners to offer 30-minute delivery from local liquor stores for select products in certain areas—essentially creating an Instacart for Black-owned spirits.
B2B Expansion
Helping hotels, restaurants, bars, casinos, cruise lines, and airlines easily purchase Black-owned products wholesale.
AI-Powered Recommendations
Perhaps the most exciting development is an AI chatbot that will revolutionize discovery. The bot will know tasting notes for all major liquor brands and recommend Black-owned alternatives.
Love Jack Daniels? The bot will suggest a Black-owned whiskey with similar tasting notes. Looking for Crown Royal Peach? Try Nyak Peach Brandy. The bot will let you type in what you currently drink and point you to a Black-owned brand that's similar."
Why This Matters Now
In an era where economic empowerment in Black communities has never been more critical, platforms like UrFriendCharles serve a vital function. They're not just about alcohol, they're about:
Visibility: Showcasing that Black excellence exists beyond celebrity brands
Access: Making it easy to discover and purchase Black-owned products
Education: Teaching consumers about the barriers these brands face
Community: Building connections between brands, retailers, and consumers
Wealth Building: Helping small businesses reach customers they otherwise couldn't
The Bottom Line
UrFriendCharles started as one person's curiosity during COVID lockdown. It evolved into TikTok content that resonated with thousands. And now it's become the largest Black-owned spirits marketplace in the country, with ambitious plans to expand access even further.
But at its core, it remains what it always was: your friend putting you on to good products from excellent founders who deserve your attention and your dollars.
Charles says he’s “just the plug” but to the hundreds of brand owners who've seen their businesses grow through his platform, and to the thousands of consumers who've discovered their new favorite drink through his recommendations, he's so much much more.
Charles is a curator, an educator, an advocate, and yes, a friend. The kind of friend who introduces you to something amazing and genuinely wants you to love it as much as he does.
So the next time you're shopping for spirits, wine, or non-alcoholic beverages, remember: there's a whole world of Black-owned brands waiting to be discovered. And UrFriendCharles is the perfect place to start.
Visit urfriendcharles.com to explore over 300 Black-owned beverages, sign up for the newsletter, and follow the journey on TikTok and Instagram.
