Black-owned small businesses get a unique boost from Atlanta BeltLine

ATLANTA - A group of metro Atlanta business owners are turning their dreams into reality — and doing it in a place known more for recreation than for work.

Six minority-owned businesses are now housed along the Atlanta BeltLine thanks to a pilot program called BeltLine MarketPlace. A partnership between Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. and The Village Market — which supports Black-owned businesses and promotes entrepreneurship — the program aims to give business owners an affordable place from which to sell their goods and connect with customers. And that affordable place is one of two clusters of custom-made shipping containers installed along the popular Atlanta BeltLine (which welcomes roughly two million visitors per year).

Three businesses make up the Eastside Trail BeltLine MarketPlace, which is located at 830 Willoughby Way Northeast under the Freedom Parkway Bridge: Cococakes by Coco, Good As Burgers, and Grady Baby Company & Apparel. The other three businesses are housed at the Westside Trail BeltLine Marketplace, located at 1089 Allene Avenue Southwest: Urban Grind, Not As Famous Cookie Company, and PinkPothos. The six were chosen as the inaugural group out of more than 200 applicants.

Along with gaining access to the storefronts on the BeltLine, program founders say the business owners will also receive business support and coaching during their tenure as part of the MarketPlace. The initial batch of businesses will remain in the two clusters though November of this year.

For more information on the BeltLine MarketPlace, click here. And click the video player in this article to check out our morning along the Atlanta BeltLine, chatting with the business owners and learning more about this unique opportunity.