Angel Gregorio, owner of Black + Forth, is making room for more Black entrepreneurs like herself in Washington, D.C. As Washington’s real estate prices soar, so does demand for newer, more inclusive businesses. However, with such exceedingly high costs, many Black business owners lose money while trying to make it in Chocolate City. Gregorio wants to change that.
Gregorio first made a name for herself in the D.C. area by selling spices. Owner of the Spice Suite, she sells several different blends and sauces, capturing flavors from all over. She was motivated to expand after she noticed just how much the cost of space was preventing budding entrepreneurs from making it big. Gregorio spoke to the Washington Post about it.
“I have friends who do hair and nails,” she said. “I noticed they had been paying exorbitant amounts of money to have spaces in D.C., so I decided to start a conversation about affordable commercial space in a city where we always talk about affordable housing.”
In December 2021, she took a leap and purchased a lot in the Langdon Park neighborhood. The 7,500-square-foot space cost upwards of $3 million, including renovations. The funds came from Georgio’s earnings from her spice business and a generous government grant. Earlier this year, after two years of development, the once-empty lot was reinvented into a strip mall.
ass="amp-ad-wrapper amp_ad_1 ampforwp-incontent-custom-banner ampforwp-incontent-ad2">The strip mall, called Black + Forth, earned its name because all of the establishments inside are Black-owned and run. Georgio personally selected and invited entrepreneurs to have their own suites in the mall. Now, it contains a farmer’s market, nail salon, natural haircare salon, braiding studio, wax studio, and Georgio’s spice business.
Senna Minor, owner of the Braid Bar, shared how this arrangement has fostered a community. “I feel a sense of pride. I feel a sense of community and sisterhood. You know, we can tease each other, and we joke and recommend each other’s businesses. It’s wonderful,” she said.
Georgio was not always in the business for herself. She used to work as a school principal but, in 2015, left to pursue her own venture. Though she started by selling spices, Georgio’s space began to attract other female entrepreneurs. Soon, the Spice Suite began to feature regular pop-up shops so other women, nicknamed the Spice Girls, could also market their products. Georgio had created a sisterhood. Now, she’s doing more than ever.
Black + Forth has done a lot to improve the D.C. market. Aside from providing space and frequent pop-up shops, entrepreneurs can also take free business classes. “Community Business School is built on the premise that I believe we have enough genius in our communities to grow our community,” Gregorio said. “So I invite my friends who are Black experts in things like marketing, branding, and imagery. We try and offer everything you could think of.”
She plans to elevate Black + Forth even more by incorporating a rooftop bar and pop-up events for Black bartenders. While D.C.’s cost of living and establishing businesses remains as high as ever, Georgio’s efforts have made a substantial difference in the lives of many entrepreneurs and their clientele.
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