By Brianna Williams and Haley Tyler

The origins of Black History Month date back to 1915, and since 1976, every U.S. president has designated the month of February as a celebration of achievements by Black America.

We also take this month to specifically recognize Black Americans’ contributions to our history.

Here at NOOGAtoday, we are saluting 80+ Black-owned Chattanooga businesses. Cheers to all you do to elevate our local community + economy. 🙏

Let us know if we missed your favorite Black-owned, Chattanooga-area business in the form below.

🥘 Food

🍴Restaurants

Big Jeff’s BBQ | 4272 Bonny Oaks Dr. | Established in 2015, Big Jeff’s BBQ is run by Jeff Bowens Sr. and Jeff Bowens Jr. featuring their signature smoked ribs + pulled pork and chicken that is served with fresh sides daily.
Blue Orleans | 1463 Market St. | Located on the corner of Market and Main, Blue Orleans is a staple in Chattanooga for seafood + New Orleans cuisine.
Chattanooga Cigar Club | 1518 Market St. | If you’re looking for premium hand-rolled cigars and speakeasy-style cocktails, look no further than the Chattanooga Cigar Club.
Chattanooga Wing Factory | 2109 McCallie Ave. | A delicious wing spot that has options for everyone (vegan options too). We recommend trying the empanadas.
Chatter Box Café | 6801 Shallowford Rd. | With many options like ribs + brisket, Chatter Box Cafe is a great place to enjoy BBQ with friends and family.
Chicken-W-Bones | 6227 Lee Hwy. | At Chicken-W-Bones, all you need to do is choose a bucket size and fill it with the chicken + fixings of your choice.
C&W Cafe | 1501 E. 23rd St. | Enjoy a wide selection of Southern soul food at C&W cafe with a rotating daily special.
Davis Wayne’s | 9454 Bradmore Ln., Ooltewah | With Davis Wayne’s soul food + cocktail selection, you’re sure to enjoy your meal. Try the jerk pork tenderloin or oven-roasted chicken.
Havens Diner | 4817 Hwy 58 | A classic meat-and-three diner with dishes like hamburger steak, fresh collard greens + dessert selections.
Herman’s Soul Food + Catering | 3821 Brainerd Rd. | Grab yourself a platter of catfish or lemon-pepper chicken from Herman’s + a dessert too.
Lil Mama’s Chicago Style Hoagy | 818 Georgia Ave | Enjoy Chicago-style hoagies from Lil Mama’s. Try the OG and let us know what you think.
Memo’s Grill | 430 E. MLK Blvd. | A local joint with hot dogs, chili + milkshakes.
Off the Grill by Chef Q | 4848 Hixson Pike | Buy meat by the pound or enjoy a hefty selection of BBQ, hot dogs, ribs + fresh sides.
Old Plantation BBQ | 1515 Dodson Ave. | This BBQ restaurant is focused on pulled pork, pork ribs, and beef, with plenty of your favorite sides, like coleslaw + beans.
Plant Power Cafe and Juice Bar | 6215 Lee Hwy. | A mouthwatering vegan spot that serves both food, juices + smoothies.
Seafood King Genes | 3230 Wilcox Blvd. | Seafood King Genes has a variety of platters. Try their lobster plate or seafood platter.
Sunset BBQ + Lounge | 964 Dodson Ave. | This spot has been serving up barbecue since the early 1940s.
The Crab Trap | 4803 Brainerd Rd. | Crab plates, lobster plates, shrimp plates...oh my! The Crab Trap has all of your seafood needs.
The Flaming Rooster | 1900 Broad St. | The Flaming Rooster has chicken in all shapes and sizes + specials like Hot Dolla Wing Wednesdays.
Together Cafe | 801 S. Orchard Knob Ave. | This coffee shop brings awareness to human trafficking crimes one cup at a time.
Uncle Larry’s Restaurant | 736 E. MLK Blvd., 5203 Brainerd Rd., 4850 Hwy. 58 | With three locations, Uncle Larry’s has been serving some of the most crave-able fried fish in Chattanooga for over eight years.

📱Catering/online ordering

Chatt Taste | Tours + Online | Chatt Taste offers food tours around Chattanooga, as well as a “Taste of Chatt” food subscription box.
Chef Express | Online | Catering | Chef Express offers an array of food for catering + bartending services.
Fud Vybez | Harbor Hills Rd. (various locations) | Enjoy soul food with a Caribbean flair from Fud Vybez mobile catering.
Jussa 2 Chics | Online ordering | Jussa 2 Chics offers vegan food options and they are on a mission for “healthy living, laughing hard, and eating great food.”
Not Your Mama’s Greens | Catering + online ordering | Order “Pans for the Fam'' or one of their “Hot and Ready Plates.” They also offer classes + catering.

🍩 Desserts

Cake Mommy Sweet Treats | Online | Cheesecakes, pound cakes, + more, including cake pops and Rice Krispy treats.
Chattanooga Bread Puddings | Online | With over 20 flavors of bread puddings, you’re sure to find one that you love.
Cocoa Asante | Online | Cocoa Asante offers an array of decadent chocolates and truffles.
The Chatty Cookie | Instagram | Their website says “something new is on the way.” Let us know the scoop ASAP.
The Cupcake Club | 2900 Henderson Ave. NW, Cleveland | Choose from a selection of packages from The Cupcake Club. They have over 60 flavors.

🛍️ Retail

Awoken CHA | Online | Custom T-shirt, sweatshirt, and apparel store with hundreds of vinyl colors to choose from.
EnF Expressions | Online | This biz features a variety of products like sweatshirts, fanny packs, ankle bracelets, and more.
For His Glory Jewelry | Online | This handmade jewelry includes a variety of styles from dangling earrings to studs.
Holy Man Beard Essentials | Online | A one-stop shop for all of your beard essentials, from beard balm + conditioner to premium beard oil.
Jans Jubliee | Online | Shop this local Etsy store for a variety of decorative pillows, home decor, and gifts.
Kwonnies Enchanted Moonstones | Kwonnies sells beautiful bracelets, anklets, waist beads, and more.
Moonlight Roller | 703 Cherry St. | This skate shop has the cool skates of our disco skater-girl dreams.
Mutha Magick Apothecary | Online | This shop is owned by local rapper BBYMUTHA + features candles, oils, melts, and more.
Natty Naturals | Online | Natty Naturals sells all-natural grooming + skincare products like body butter, deep conditioner, body oil, and more.
Pasty’s Floral Boutique | Online | This floral boutique sells a number of floral arrangements and specializes in silk arrangements.
Princess Child Soaps | Online | Princess Child is your one-stop-shop for homemade, artisan soaps.
Roots Hair & Beauty | 3913 Brainerd Rd., Ste 116, + 4758 Highway 58 | This hair and beauty shop specializes in 100% human hair bundles, quick weaves, crochet braiding, natural hair products, and more.
Tee Strokes Waist Beads | Online | This store provides quality, custom-made waist beads.
The Basket Lady | Online | The basket lady will set you up with a one-of-a-kind gift basket for any occasion.
The Floral Gallery | 3467 Wilcox Ave., Ste 103-A | The Floral Gallery’s floral + edible arrangements are hand-designed for your occasion.
Unveiled Bridal Studio | 707 Cherry St. | This downtown bridal studio has gowns to fit the needs of every bride.

🤝 Services

Adamson Developers | 3445 Brainerd Rd. | Adamson Developers is a residential + commercial development building company that provides budget estimates, site evaluation, design-build, a general contractor, and construction management.
Advantage Windows | 3709 Brainerd Rd. | Advantage Windows is a local window installer with over 40 years of home improvement experience.
Alter Ego Salon & Spa | 5323 Brainerd Rd. | This salon and spa offers makeup, hair, and nail services.
Bonner Consulting Services | 1089 Bailey Ave. | Bonner provides tax preparation + consulting services and is an authorized IRS e-file provider.
Candy Executives Auto Body | 6403 Middle Valley Rd. | Candy is an auto body + paint shop that offers an array of custom paint schemes and color combinations.
Chambers Welding | 1009 Taft Ave. | Chambers is a full-service welding company with custom fabrication, welding, and metal repair services.
Chattanooga Segway and Bike Tours | 212 Walnut St. | This company is where we’ll be looking for our next free day in town, with segway and bike tours of the Scenic City.
Cue the Champagne | 7011 Shallowford Rd. | Cue the Champagne offers event planning + design services that will take care of everything on your special day while keeping you a part of the process.
CPR Wrap | This product could save a life. It guides users through the four American Heart Association-recommended steps for CPR in a plastic overlay, which also acts as mouth protection.
Dee’Sign Nail Salon | 5811 Lee Hwy., Ste 408 | Get all of your nail needs tended to here, from spa manicures and gel nails to the perfect pedicures.
Frenise Mann Financial Coaching | 118 Lee Parkway Dr., Ste 305 | Mann’s company Thrivent will help work through all of your financial questions + issues.
Grand Finale Events & Decor | 7315 Lee Hwy. | Grand Finale specializes in “event designing and decor with grace.”
Inner Glow Skincare | 6237 Vance Rd., Ste 4 | Inner Glow Skincare helps to make your skin healthy + radiant with its makeup services and skincare treatment.
JM Hanner Construction | 1100 S. Highland Park Ave. | JM Hanner Construction contracts highway + airport projects in Southeast Tennessee.
Magnolia Developments | 1038 Meroney St. | This development company’s philosophy is to create spaces that bring people happiness + it focuses on every detail of the building process.
Millennial Nail Bar | 818 Georgia Ave., suite 118 | This nail salon offers an experience, not just a manicure + you can request nail techs at your home, event, or for a girls night out.
O'Zone Fitness | 739 Ashland Terrace | O'Zone is a fitness company that provides several options for staying in shape, like boxing, HIIT, strength + conditioning, resistance band training, and more.
PCS Cleaning | 800 Market St. | Professional Cleaning Solutions offers cleaning services for your home or office.
S.H.E. Trucking, LLC | 3505 Brainerd Rd., Ste. 4 | SHE Trucking is a transportation company that also provides education about the industry as a whole, safe practices, and on-road driving.
V. Frances Intimate Events | 6925 Shallowford Rd. | This performance and event venue located in the Foundation Plaza off Shallowford Rd. provides a unique location for intimate occasions.

🎨 Arts

🎵 Music

BBYMUTHA | BBYMUTHA is a rapper (who also owns her own small biz, Mutha Magick Apothecary) who began her career on Soundcloud + grew her audience after her song “Rules” went viral
Carl Caldwell “Summer Dregs” | Summer Dregs is music producer Carl Caldwell, who started with one group and has expanded to producing and writing with a wide variety of local artists.
Kimberly Hurley “Kimmie J Soul” | Kimmie J. has opened for the musical group The Bar-Kays + Eric Roberson, played the role of Deloris Van Cartier in “Sister Act,” and currently performs all around Chattanooga venues.
Madison Mines “Cinematic” | This local rapper has lots of songs available for listening on Spotify and SoundCloud.
Prince Bae Tiahli “Prince T” | Prince T loves to perform with other local artists + wants to make sure the sound of classic R&B doesn’t fade away.
Swayyvo | This artist seems to do it all – he’s a hip hop/R&B artist, a saxophone + piano player, and a producer.

🖼️ Visual arts

Rondell Crier | Rondell is an artist of many trades, including painting, fiber art, woodworking, and more.
Isaac Duncan III | Isaac is a Brooklyn native and sculptor who currently lives in Chattanooga + teaches art at Chattanooga State.
Josiah Golson | This local artist is a painter + drawer who also works as a lawyer.
James McKissic | He works to use color, texture, and shapes to draw the viewer in, and is also the president of local nonprofit ArtsBuild.
Charlie Newton | This UTC grad is a painter who founded Chattanooga’s free art school for urban youth, SPLASH, with his wife, Iantha.
Iantha Newton | Iantha is a local painter who co-founded nonprofit organization SPLASH with her husband, Charlie.
LaDarell Ransom | LaDarell is a local post-apocalyptic painter and illustrator.
Dr. Valerie Smith | Dr. Valerie Smith is an artist + an assistant principal for Hamilton County Department of Education. Her graphic design work is currently used by three local small businesses.
The Artist SEVEN | SEVEN is a mural artist whose work you’ve likely noticed driving around town (our personal fav is the Miles Morales mural on Central Avenue).

✍️ Poetry

Caleb Golson “CalebThePoet” | This local poet seeks to be “a voice for the voiceless.”
Genesis the Greykid | Genesis is a poet, visual artist, and creative who created the artwork for Kanye West’s song “Brothers.”
Velvet Poetry | AKA Erika Roberts, Velvet Poetry is prolific and her work can found everywhere from this locally produced video to art creations for the city’s west side.

📸 Photography + cinematography

J. Adams | Adams is the official photographer for Mayor Andy Berke + the city of Chattanooga government. He also has a project called blakchatt, which documents those participating in the Chattanooga BLM protests.
Kris Rochelle-Hacker | Kris oves capturing moments and feelings in time. She started her business six years ago and can shoot anything from weddings to graduation photos to business branding.

❓ Question

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