Today we’d like to introduce you to Lanie and Char Edwards. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Black on the Block was founded by sisters Lanie and Char Edwards. The vision started as a Juneteenth event to showcase Black-owned businesses and bring the community together for a block party and market. The goal of having 30 vendors quickly turned into 80 vendors as the word and excitement about the event spread. It even caught the eye of Target who sent volunteers to help with setup the day of. The very first Black on the Block market in June 2021 ended up having 80+ vendors and over 1,500 attendees from across the country. With it being such a success, it was decided to continue doing the markets every month to create a safe and fun space for Black-owned businesses to flourish.
Today, we are now approaching our 7th market and it has grown tremendously. As one of the largest Black-owned pop-up markets in California, Black on the Block has 100+ vendors every single month. It’s not just a market but a curated experience with great food, drinks, music, special appearances, networking opportunities, and a family-friendly environment. Not only has it had a huge impact on the vendors, but on the attendees as well who get to have a phenomenal time while shopping and supporting Black-owned businesses. The big question is always “when’s the next one?”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our Juneteenth market was our first time ever planning an event, let alone one with 80+ vendors and thousands of attendees. Though it ended up being a huge success, there was definitely a learning curve and a ton of improvements we took away from that first event. We ended up having to change venues for the next market and found a new home in South Pasadena at Fitsport Kinetics where we have remained for the past six months.
Every single market brings new obstacles and challenges. With that amount of vendors and attendees, we have to be very solution-oriented and thoughtful. Now that Black on the Block has grown so much, we also now receive 400+ applicants every month and can only accept up to 120. The hardest part is having to decide which vendors will participate since we can’t accept them all. We thoughtfully go through every single application and have to make some tough decisions.
As you know, we’re big fans of Black on the Block. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Black on the Block is a monthly pop-up experience based in California featuring 100+ Black-owned businesses and 1,500+ attendees. Attendees can shop everything from Black-owned clothing, jewelry, skincare, supplements, plants, home decor, candles, crystals, books, and more.
It’s not just a market but a curated experience. Think of it as an elevated block party. We have live DJs, celebrity appearances, food trucks, drinks, 360 photobooths, tattoos, tooth gems, activities, giveaways, and merch to make the shopping experience extremely fun. We’re also big on branding and decorations to make the market even more polished. It’s a Sunday Funday you won’t forget!
We do the markets every single month on the 3rd or 4th Sunday. We also plan on bringing the experience to different cities starting in 2022, as well as hosting other events to further help elevate and support our huge network of Black-owned businesses. We have a lot planned can’t wait to share it with our community!
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
For those who want to be a vendor at our Black on the Block markets, we open applications on the 1st of every month on our website – blackxtheblock.com. You do not need to be based in California to apply.
For collaboration or sponsorship inquiries, we can be reached via email at [email protected].
Our Instagram, @blackxtheblock, not only provides the most up-to-date information on our events and announcements but is also a great resource to discover your new favorite Black-owned business.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://blackxtheblock.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/blackxtheblock
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/blackontheblock
Image Credits
Chance the Rapper photo – @yesitisrandom
