An online directory of Black and Latino businesses across America, the GreenBook is now accessible with a wide mix of establishments ranging from restaurants to service stations.
The directory is being offered by Greenwood, a digital banking platform mainly for Black and Latinx individuals and business owners. The directory was inspired by the original GreenBook, which provided a guidebook of safe accommodations, restaurants, and service stations for African American travelers during the era of Jim Crow law. The fresh GreenBook was rolled out earlier this year as a resource, reportedly aiming to drive the recirculation of dollars in the Black and Latino communities.
Some 806 businesses owned by Black Americans and Latinos are in the directory, including various retailers, health and beauty shops, medical services, auto dealers, legal services, pet services and supplies, and several others. For instance, they include Slutty Vegan, Local Green, iSeefood Miami, Bowlegged BBQ, and Alma Del Mar, BMW of Bridgewater, and Cinnamon Annie Dolls.
The GreenBook hopes to help shoppers find businesses easily and support them. Plus, business owners can get listed as anyone can nominate them for inclusion. Its accessibility might be fitting with Small Business Saturday and the holiday shopping season approaching soon.
Yet the directory is not alone in listing Black entrepreneurs and brands. For instance, the racial justice advocacy group, Color for Change, last December launched a digital directory to help consumers find such ventures. Called the Black Business Green Book, it too allows people check out Black businesses.
As for Greenwood, Black Enterprise was informed by the bank last month that it has begun rolling out its mobile banking platform to beta users. It plans to make the platform available to more people weekly on a rolling basis that are part of what Greenwood says is a 500,000-person strong community and waiting list.
The effort will continue for the rest of the year and into early 2022. Greenwood has announced the launch of iHeartRadio Original Podcast “Money Moves.” In August, it launched Greenwood Studio, a push to produce personal finance content for Black and Latino audiences.
