In June 2020, following an outpouring of requests from its community to provide an easy way to find and support Black-owned businesses on its platform, Yelp launched its Black-owned business attribute to help consumers find, connect with and patronize Black-owned businesses.
Since its launch, more than 45,000 businesses have self-identified as Black-owned on Yelp, making it easier than ever for consumers to dine and shop with these local businesses. According to Yelp, review mentions for Black-owned businesses were up 165% in 2021, compared to 2019.
The process for registering a business as Black-owned on Yelp is incredibly simple.
- Visit Yelp for Business (Business Information tab) on desktop or your mobile browser
- Click Edit next to Known for.
- Select Yes beside Black-owned.
- Click Save Changes.
If a business chooses to opt in, visitors to its business page on Yelp will be able to see that it is Black-owned in the “Amenities” section on the web or “More Info” section in the iOS and Android app. Additionally, when a user searches for Black-owned businesses, a gem will appear in the search results of the business page highlighting the attribute.
This attribute has made a tremendous impact for many Black-owned businesses throughout the country, allowing them to become more visible to their communities.
In honor of Black History Month in February, Yelp released a list of standout Black-owned food, beauty and home and decor businesses across the country. Among those were:
- My Two Cents - Los Angeles, CA
- The Rabbit Hole - Pompano Beach, FL
- Selam Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine - Orlando, FL
- Pure-Trition- Indianapolis, IN
- Sobeachy Haitian Cuisine - Baltimore, MD
- The Narrow Way Cafe & Shop - Detroit, MI
- The Coffee Class - Las Vegas, NV
- Blvd Bistro - New York, NY
- Melba's Restaurant - New York, NY
- Black Coffee Lounge - Cincinnati, OH
- Cream + Sugar Coffeehouse - Cincinnati, OH
- Bird Bird Biscuit - Austin, TX
- Binge Kitchen - San Antonio, TX
- The Breakfast Klub - Houston, TX
- Happy Cafe - Virginia Beach, VA
The Breakfast Klub in Houston, Texas is currently celebrating 20 years in business. Since its opening in September of 2001, the restaurant has become a top tourist attraction and local favorite breakfast spot, thanks to owner Marcus Davis’ spirit, customer appreciation and commitment to the communities he serves.
“The people have spoken, and they have spoken for over two decades,” says Davis about making Yelp’s list. “This acknowledgement shows a continued interest of the community in empowering us as we empower the community. We are very grateful for this recognition.”