Black Expo helps businesses grow

Cookies, candles and key chains were hot sellers on Saturday, Feb. 25, as the annual Black Expo and Health Fair returned for an eighth year at SouthPark Mall in Moline. The event, presented and organized by the Quad Cities Empowerment Network, brought together more than 50 vendors and drew hundreds of customers to the mall […]

Cookies, candles and key chains were hot sellers on Saturday, Feb. 25, as the annual Black Expo and Health Fair returned for an eighth year at SouthPark Mall in Moline. The event, presented and organized by the Quad Cities Empowerment Network, brought together more than 50 vendors and drew hundreds of customers to the mall on a sunny, warm Saturday afternoon. The aim of the event is to help small businesses grow, help them network with other businesses and help them get customers, said Tracy Singleton, CEO of the Quad Cities Empowerment Network. “There’s a lot of new businesses here, which is very exciting,” she added. One of those new businesses making a first-time appearance at the expo was Big T Wear Big & Tall Clothing, owned by Anthony Jones and DeAnna Freeman-Jones. Located at 1700 2nd Ave., Rock Island, the store opened for business last spring and specializes in clothing for big and tall men.

“So far, so good. People have been looking at our clothing. They really like our keychains,” Ms. Freeman-Jones said, pointing to a collection of keychains decorated with small athletic shoes. Another big-seller on the day were black T-shirts with the phrase “Warning. Big Boys Are Highly Addictive!” Nearby their vendor booth, crowds of people were buying candles, lining up for food at the Divine Soul2Soul Catering and Food Truck table, and buying cookies – lots of cookies. “People love the cookies – it’s been going great,” said Launa Webb, owner of Cookies N Moo’r, who was selling cookie after cookie at her table. “This cookie – the Saddler Fusion – has been my best seller all day.” The Saddler Fusion is made of oatmeal, chocolate chips, walnuts and cranberries. Some of Ms. Webb’s other cookie offerings included snickerdoodles, monster cookies, caramel toffee crunch and the always popular double chocolate crunch. Just a few tables away, another person in the cookie business was keeping busy.

“It’s been going well. My individually wrapped cookies have been selling,” said Emily Robinson, owner of Emi’s Treats. One of the cookie fan favorites at Emi’s Treats were the red, yellow and green heart-shaped cookies with the word “Love” on them. Ms. Singleton said Saturday’s expo was designed to especially help businesses like Emi’s Treats and Cookies N Moo’r. That is, businesses that started out of homes and don’t have traditional storefronts. “A lot of these (businesses) don’t have that brick-and-mortar building. … They have to juggle their time. It comes down to inventory, staff and time for them,” she said, adding that the expo will help build their businesses by putting them in touch with more customers.