Black-owned businesses are wooing customers in Bucks with unique shops and services. Check these out
A glow spilled out across the floor of the dark café. Inside the kitchen, a calm hum filled the room, a combination of the King family moving easily around one another and the cold-press juicer running on what was otherwise a quiet Wednesday night.
It had already been a long day for the family of four. Adrienne and Donte had spent the day at their full-time jobs, and their daughters, 8-year-old Camille and 10-year-old Brielle, had been at school. Donte and his girls had come straight from basketball practice, while Adrienne went ahead and got a head start making juices on her own.
They worked together, loading the juicer with kale, celery, apple, spinach, lemon and ginger — everything needed to make a deep green batch of their Nothing But a “G” Thing juice.
It was one of three varieties they made that night for So Fresh So Green Juice Co., a Perkasie-based company the couple started this past summer.
“We’re a small batch and family-owned business,” Donte said. “Just think about your favorite song, and how its carefully orchestrated, and that’s kind of the care we take with each of our juices.”
The family business is among a number of minority-owned businesses calling Bucks County home.
It's unknown exactly how many minority-owned businesses operate in the county. When the census last did a report on county-level, minority-owned businesses in 2017 it did not have enough data to give a reasonable estimate, but said 93 percent of all businesses in Bucks were white-owned at that time.
While many minority-owned businesses struggled in the pandemic, the King family's shop launched during it when a friend urged them to do a vegan challenge and they started to explore juices.
“Donte said, ‘I think we could make our own juices at home.’ He went out and bought his first juicer for the house. And over the time, him and my youngest daughter would come up with juice recipes. Before you knew it, we were producing so much, we had to start giving it away,” said Adrienne.
Donte and Adrienne began selling at nearby farmers markets on the weekends and invested in a larger cold-press juicer. Soon after, they partnered with local retailers, like Rise and Grind Café in Perkasie, where the couple also produces their juices out of once or twice a week during the restaurant’s afterhours.
“It’s nearly two pounds of fruits and vegetables that go into one bottle,” said Donte, who explained the process of cold-pressing helps ensure the full benefits of the vitamins and nutrients, naturally found in the fruits and vegetables they use, make it into their juices.
Four varieties are currently available, all with music-inspired names, just like the business itself: 24K Magic, made with carrot, pineapple, orange, lemon, ginger and turmeric; Get Ya Beet On, made with carrot, orange, apple, beet and lemon; So Fresh, made with pineapple, cucumber, green apple, spinach and mint; and Nothing But a “G” Thing.
So Fresh So Green Juice Co. juices are available through its online store, at farmers markets and at local retailers Rise and Grind Café, at 1 N. 7th St. in Perkasie and Farm to Toast, at 123 N. Main St. in Dublin. The website is www.sofreshjuiceco.com/
In celebration of Black History Month, we took a look at the Black-owned businesses here in Montgomery and Bucks counties. Here's a few to check out this month and all year long:
Wax n Scent Studio, New Hope
Owners: Moe and Ningi Simmons
Looking to tap into your imaginative side? Stop into Wax n Scent Studio, where you can enjoy the experience of creating your own custom candle. Make it a date night, grab a few friends or enjoy a family day out — with prices starting at $9.95, it’s a fun and affordable activity for all ages.
Owners Moe and Ningi Simmons opened the New Hope shop in 2020 with the hopes of offering a setting where people could relax and reconnect with one another. “We’re providing an experience and an opportunity for people to be creative and have fun-filled enjoyment,” explained Moe.
Cut and Create is their most popular option where you can choose from a variety of molds, colored waxes and scents to create a unique scented candle. There are also several add-on options to enhance your candle, including precut wax shapes, crackling wood wicks, cotton wicks, crystal, glitter, flowers, glass containers and premium scents.
Reservations are strongly recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. Party packages are also available.
Wax n Scent Studio, located at 15 N. Main St. in New Hope, is open Sunday and Monday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Phone: 215-648-1987. Website: https://waxnscentstudio.com
Another business to try: From NY to New Hope: Self-taught chef offers Bucks a taste of Caribbean flavors
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The Black Reserve Bookstore, Lansdale
Owner: Shaykh Anwar Muhammad
When Shaykh Anwar Muhammad opened The Black Reserve Bookstore in 2017, he did so with the hopes of creating a “hub for Black culture,” and carving out a space “not just for Black people to get the things they enjoy, but for others to experience a culture that’s different from their own,” he said.
Inside the shop, shelves are filled with a broad range of books spanning every genre — from children’s literature to autobiographies — all written by Black authors. Beyond books, items such as shea butter, clothing, jewelry and artwork, add to the overall experience.
The colors, smells, and music add to the sense of peace Muhammad said he’d like customers to feel each time they visit, making it a place where people could sit down and share ideas and meaningful conversations centered around Black culture.
“It’s so much more than a bookstore,” said Muhammad. “It’s so much bigger than that. It is culture. It’s a complete Black experience. And when you come here, you’ll see.”
The Black Reserve Bookstore, located at 319 W. Main St. Ste. 8 in Lansdale, is open Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Phone: 267-221-3090. Website: https://theblackreservebookstore.com
Nutz About Popcorn, Hatboro
Owner: Lynette Smith
Craving something sweet, salty, spicy … or all of the above? Nutz About Popcorn takes your favorite snack to a whole new level with more than 100 flavors to try. Stop by for a taste test, and while you’re there, check out their candy bar and a large selection of fresh fudge and nuts.
“I love the fact it’s a fun experience,” said owner Lynette Smith. “We just want you to enjoy yourself and come away tasting something you never would’ve been interested in.”
Favorites include their Spicy Buffalo, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt and Strawberry Cheesecake. If you’re in the mood for something different, try their Spicy Hot Chocolate flavor, a vanilla popcorn coated with milk chocolate and hot cocoa, tossed with marshmallows and sprinkled with jalapeño dust; or Fried Pickle, a mix of their Spicy Buffalo and Dill Pickle flavors. Also, be sure to try Litty Pop, their very own line of alcohol-infused popcorn, which comes in flavors such as Appletini, Strawberry Margarita, Peach Bellini and Salted Caramel Irish Cream.
Visit their store or shop online. Sampler packs, customized gifts and party favors are also available. In addition, they provide catering for corporate events, festivals, birthday parties and weddings — offering popcorn bars or their food trailer. Call for pricing and availability.
Nutz About Popcorn, located at 119 S. York Rd. in Hatboro, is open Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Phone: 215-907-3191. Website: https://nutzaboutpopcorn.com
New Beginnings Mind, Body & Soul Wellness Center, Bristol
Owner: Tamara Monroe
What started as a way to help her grandmother battling cancer, turned into a passion for Tamara Monroe, who opened New Beginnings as a way to share the positive effects of yoga, stretching and mindfulness with the community.
“I wanted to share that gift with other people. I know what it’s like to feel hopeless and sick all the time,” said Monroe.
Her studio, located in Bristol Borough, offers weekly stretching classes on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. In addition, she hosts health and wellness workshops every couple of months with a focus on topics such as mental health, holistic healing, journaling and nutrition.
Net proceeds from the center go towards the Monroe Foundation for Youth, a local nonprofit started by Monroe in 2009 to provide free services to children on the autism spectrum and at-risk youth.
In the same spirit as her foundation, New Beginnings hosts a free Teen Stretch and Book Club, where girls 13-17 years old are guided through weekly stretching and book discussions. Books are provided, but space is limited, so registration is required.
New Beginnings Mind, Body & Soul Wellness Center is located at 97 Wood St. in Bristol Phone: 215-294-0079. Website: https://www.facebook.com/New-Beginnings-Mind-Body-Soul-Wellness-Center-112042060589108/
KandeeLand Academy, Bristol
Owner: LaShay Anderson
After struggling to find a STEAM-based preschool for her own daughter, LaShay Anderson decided to start her own.
“Education has changed so much and it’s very important we’re preparing our children,” said Anderson. “I knew I didn’t want her in a school where she’s just being babysat and not being taught the fundamental things she’s going to need.”
Enter KandeeLand Academy, a learning facility for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old with a focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Grouped by age, children rotate through centers emphasizing these five concepts through hands-on, play-based learning.
The facility offers full-time childcare Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. In addition, they have before and after school programs, as well as summer camp. Call ahead to arrange a tour.
Kandeeland Academy is located at 248 Commerce Circle in Bristol. Phone: 267-401-6135. Website: https://kandeelandacademy.com
1 Love Jerk Hut, Levittown
Owner: Crystal Johnston
Using a family recipe passed down through the generations, Crystal Johnston founded 1 Love Jerk Hut, gracing the Bucks County area and beyond with authentic Jamaican flavors through her line of specialty jerk sauces.
The sauces are made with fresh, all-natural ingredients, many of which are sourced locally. Experimenting with different flavors, Johnston said her sauces range from “mild to wild.”
“All of our stuff is flavor over heat. I like you to be able to taste your food,” she said.
Popular flavors include Classic and Mango, which are on the mild end. But for those looking for some extra heat, Jamaican Voodoo is another customer favorite and based on the family’s original recipe which started it all.
Holy Trinity is Johnston’s personal favorite — a spicy sauce made with a trio of Scotch bonnet, serrano and Trinidad scorpion peppers, and finished with lemon zest for “a citrus taste on the back end.”
1 Love Jerk Hut products are available through its online store, at farmer’s markets and at the following local retailers:
Linvilla Orchards, 137 W. Knowlton Road in Media
Styer Orchards, 97 Styers Lane in Langhorne
Beef Jerky Outlet, 110 Lincoln Hwy. Ste. 2A in Fairless Hills
1776 Founders’ Market, 2000 NJ-38 in Cherry Hill, NJ
More Life Restaurant and Market, 2035 Church Lane in Philadelphia
Moss Mill Brewery, 109 Pike Cir. Unit D in Huntington Valley
Altomontes Italian Market, 856 N. Easton Road in Doylestown
Spruce Hill Provisions, 4529 Baltimore Ave. in Philadelphia
Phone: 267-580-9884. Website: https://www.1lovejerkhut.com
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More: Truman alumni athletes reopening Delhaas gym to give back to community
Know of a minority-owned business we should include on our list? Email us at newstips@couriertimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks County black-owned businesses: Check out these shops and services
