Charlotte Shopping Mall Thrives On Becoming ‘Black Mecca’ For Black-Owned Businesses

by Sharelle Burt March 24, 2024 Thanks to Black-owned businesses, the Northlake Mall is now thriving. Things may be turning around for Northlake Mall in Charlotte, North Carolina, thanks to Black-business owners.  Looking for a fresh start following financial woes and growing crime rates, Northlake is embracing Black businesses in hopes they will turn things around. Entrepreneurs like Danyell Butler, co-owner of Modified Kicks, said, lots of the negative rumors have been silenced. Like many other business owners, Butler says things have been difficult but he is grateful for the space. “If we go back just a couple of years, I was homeless sleeping in a car,” Butler said. But with some paint and paintbrushes, his creative niche with shoes and clothes has turned things around. “To reach the level we have now, it’s kind of unreal. It is becoming more of a Black mecca. It’s becoming a smorgasbord of companies that have unique styles,” Butler said. Butler’s business is just one of several new Black-owned additions to the Queen City-based shopping center. As of November 2023, Northlake has welcomed some of Charlotte’s favorites including Charlotte’s Nails, Vixen Ready Art Factory, 3Six92, D. Williams Suits, and Destination Sweets, according to...