Local businesses celebrate black women through books and baked goods

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) — On Studio 10, we love to showcase local businesses and because it’s Black History Month, we want to highlight some wonderfully owned black businesses you can support.

Both recently secured new spaces in the Lansing area.

Social Light Society owner and creator Nyshell Lawrence says the idea for the space came up in 2017 when Lawrence and her husband were shopping at a bookstore and noticed the lack of titles written by black women. .

The journey to the storefront was not easy. After a series of pop-up shops and book clubs, Social Light Society finally secured a permanent place in Lansing Mall.

The shop highlights classics of black literature, but also novelties and local authors.

If you’re looking to get out and visit the shop, it’s open in the Lansing Mall every day at 11am.

In downtown Lansing, you can smell the newest business – Sweet Encounter Bakery & Cafe.

What makes this place unique is that it is hypoallergenic.

Owner Nikki Thompson-Frazier says her daughters inspired the bakery because they both have gluten allergies.

The bakery is inside the Knapp building, thanks to Lansing’s Built To Last competition. Sweet Encounter won the local startup jackpot, winning rent for the downtown spot.

In addition to pastries, cooking classes will be offered for children and adults.

Thompson-Frazier says it feels good to open the space right in the middle of Black History Month.

“Being able to open my window in the middle of everything I think about is exciting,” she said. “Just to highlight black-owned businesses and women-owned businesses and how important that is as they are both a growing part of the entrepreneur industry.”

They are open in the Knapp Building daily from 8:00am to 2:00pm, with Fridays having extended hours where they are open until 6:00pm.

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