Blaktober aims to put a spotlight on Chicago’s Black-owned restaurants

The COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest stemming from police violence toward Black people has a lot of folks from marginalized communities rethinking where, and with whom, they spend their hard-earned money.

More importantly, they want to buy “Black.”

Blaktober, starting Thursday through Oct. 29, aims to showcase cooperative economics. Over 70 Black-owned eateries from across the city and suburbs are participating in the event, sponsored by Black People Eats, a directory listing Black-owned dining locations.,

Those eateries include South Shore Brew, Evanston’s Da Jerk Pit, South Loop’s How Bao Dat, Ravenswood’s Lizzy J Cafe, Tinley Park’s On Point Cafe and Hermosa’s Nea’s Lunch House, among many others.

Jeremy Joyce/Provided Photo

“We pretty much highlight food on a daily basis,” said Black People Eats founder Jeremy Joyce. “And about a year and a half ago, I had this crazy idea. I noticed that black-owned businesses were celebrated in other countries primarily like the U.K. in October [which is Black History Month in England]. … The average family can’t afford to go out during the week, so we wanted to create something all month long, but they don’t have to feel rushed.

“We wanted to amplify restaurants during the fall season, like through a festival with restaurant specials. … We wanted to be a little different because nobody really does anything like this in Black communities in the fall.”

Through the specific packages offered, customers can call or walk into an eatery and say “Blaktober” to take advantage of the special offered by each establishment.

The free general admission package consists of an E-cookbook with Black chefs detailing their favorite recipes, virtual cooking classes and workout sessions. A VIP package ($20) consists of a virtual slate including an Afrobeat dance class, a cookie decorating party, a game night, and a happy hour with Joyce.

Many of these businesses saw their profits ascend during a renewed focus on Juneteeth, a holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Africans.

Arion Davis/Provided Photo

“We did the Juneteenth restaurant celebration in June, and a lot of these restaurants are already on board, and they see the amazing feedback they received,” said Joyce, a Richton Park native. “We sent out an email blast to all our restaurants and we registered over 75 restaurants.”

And Joyce, who works in the finance industry, believes that Chicago’s Black communities are taking a hard look at their place in the world, and how they want to proceed.

“If we don’t have dollars in our own community, we’re economically failing,” said Joyce. “I think that was a problem between our communities and other communities. It’s important that the death of George Floyd was a spark to wake up and say, ‘We need to spend economically within our own community.’ ”