CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As we celebrate Black History Month, one west Charlotte business is celebrating Black culture through coffee, books and more.
Just off Beatties Ford Road sits Archive CLT, a business rooted in remembering the past. Underneath the sound of grinding coffee, you'll see images displayed that serve as a reminder of what's possible.
Cheryse Terry opened up Archive CLT six months ago with Black history at the forefront.
“I’m from this side of town, I felt like it was a need. There's no space for us on this side of town," Terry said. "On the bookshelves, we have pioneers of entertainment and sports and Black publications. I want them to see themselves in a positive light."
Kenya Augurson, a barista at Archive CLT, says the works serve as inspiration.
“I don’t see a lot of places like this," Augurson said. "In a way, it's like I have a family and community."
U.S. Census data shows from 2017 to 2019, the number of Black-owned businesses skyrocketed. There's an estimated total of more than 140,000 Black-owned shops operating across the country nationwide.
For Terry, it's a chance to serve a community that today she said is still underrepresented.
“I’m grateful to be a part of the legacy that came before me," Terry said. "This building being historically Black-owned, Charlotte Post carried business out of here. We need to have more things like this. We have to go back to the roots of leaning on each other."
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