In West Charlotte, new center taking shape as ‘safe space’ for Black entrepreneurs
Entrepreneur Cathay Dawkins walked around a dusty industrial warehouse off Wilkinson Boulevard with abandoned work spaces and a few warning signs. One of them hung from the ceiling and read: “Restricted Area: Steel-Toed Boots Required.”
But Dawkins and fellow members of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce ignored those rules. After all, the stone construction workers have not been there for a while.
And the chamber is working to bringing life back to the building with a vision to help entrepreneurs, improve Charlotte’s economic growth and also combat food disparity. “Think of it as a one-stop shop for professionals and small businesses,” said Dawkins, the chamber chairman.
The chamber acquired the property at 2601 Wilkinson Blvd. for a project called the Innovation Center. The building is close to Interstate 77, the airport, and uptown Charlotte. The total cost of the project was not disclosed.
The center will feature an agri-tech program to help farmers with advanced technology to expand their market reach; event spaces for business meetings; co-working spaces for startups, entrepreneurs and nonprofits; and a retail store and distribution center for small businesses.
The chamber is still working on renovations. These upgrades will probably take six months to a year to finish.
The area has a special connection to Dawkins.
A railroad by the property connects to the neighborhood where he grew up in Enoree, South Carolina — nicknamed ‘The Line’ because of the tracks. He loves trains, which also shaped Charlotte’s growth and development.
Black Charlotteans also have have long ties to work on the railroads, Dawkins added.
“We want to tell that story here,” he said.
More about the Black Chamber of Commerce project
The idea for the center started about three years ago. Dawkins went to other cities such as Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Durham to see other entrepreneur centers.
Dawkins described the work as a pilot for something that hasn’t been done before in Charlotte. The center is the city’s first hub dedicated to the empowerment of Black-owned businesses and Black professionals, according to the chamber.
He hopes it becomes a place for people to gain resources and education to improve in their profession or business.
“As things in the community get taken away, like federal funding and grants, we want to be a safe space,” Dawkins said. “I wanted to create a safe space for business owners and professionals to come get elevated.”
The center will have co-working spaces and 8,000 to 10,000 square feet of space available for rent for events or outreach programs from large companies like Bank of America or TD Bank, Dawkins said.
Dawkins and chamber members have even bigger ambitions for the 18,000-square-foot warehouse portion of the building. Their plans include creating a food hall for Charlotte’s West Side and a conference space.
Other plans include a greenhouse where restaurants and individuals can grow fruits and vegetables, an outdoor seating plaza with spaces for food trucks and events and a mailroom for businesses.
The chamber is launching a capital campaign to raise $3.7 million for renovations. Previously, the chamber spent $30,000 to secure the building, according to Dawkins. The property had been abandoned for about three years, according to Dawkins.
Kneisha Gabriel is one of several chamber advisers assisting Dawkins with the project. She hopes the Innovation Center will be a permanent resource for Black business owners in the region.
“We just want to bring more locals here to help expand their experience and help them figure out what they want to do,” Gabriel said.
Chamber adviser Jeremy Johnson said the building will be an excellent opportunity for economic development.
“It’s definitely needed and I can see it being a great resource and support system for those looking to thrive in the business community,” Johnson said.
More on the Black Chamber of Commerce
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Chamber is a non-profit founded in 2004 to serve black business owners and professionals in Charlotte and surrounding areas.
The organization is open to all entrepreneurs who want to be involved for programs, events and networking.
