Black Business Month in Springfield: Corrine's Closet and Traveler's Kitchen

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - August is Black Business Month and local officials are encouraging people to shop at local, black-owned businesses.

Traveler's Kitchen was opened in May by Ansumana Darboe. The first-generation Gambian immigrant enjoys serving West African food from his restaurant on MacArthur Boulevard.

"I noticed just the absence of restaurants from my culture, or even something African authentic," said Darboe. "So we thought, why don't we also bring something to the community, because the community has welcomed us."

Darboe says he feels supported by the community because he has lived here for 12 years. Although many people aren't familiar with the types of food he serves, he is able to connect with them by explaining the dishes and their origins.

"We see a lot of people coming in the door from different backgrounds, everybody from young people to senior citizens," said Darboe.

Corrine Campbell opened Corrine's Closet five years ago. She says when people shop local, their money stays in the community.

"When people shop small, it's not just one store, its the whole community and you're supporting small businesses, because without them, there is no small business," said Campbell.

Corrine's Closet sells vintage, new, and pre-loved clothing for men and women, as well as a variety of household goods. Campbell says when people support her business, she is able to spread her knowledge to others in the community who also want to open their own businesses and need help navigating the obstacles to opening their first location.

"I want to do as much as I can to help another person, it's not as hard as they think to start a business," said Campbell." "If you're interested, come see me and I'll give you ideas...and how to navigate this."

If you are looking for Black Owned Businesses in Springfield, you can look at the Visit Springfield website and search by "Black Owned." You can also view this list from Downtown Springfield Inc.