The Black Business Hub helps local entrepreneurs own and manage businesses, supporting the South Madison community.
Located at 2352 S. Park Street, The Hub opened its doors in August of 2024 in hopes of creating a space for Black-owned businesses “not just today, but for multiple generations,” CEO Dr. Ruben Anthony told The Daily Cardinal.
Anthony said the inspiration for The Hub came from a noticeable lack of Black-owned businesses in the Madison area. “10,000 businesses in Dane County have more than one employee, and only .04% of those businesses were African American owned,” he said.
Run by the Urban League of Greater Madison, The Hub focuses on helping small business owners gain the knowledge and materials to start up their business, giving them the ability to branch out and expand into the community.
“We're looking for them to get a strong start, build a strong economic base, and then go out,” Anthony said. “We're not looking for the businesses to stay here forever.”
Within the Hub’s $25.5 million, 80,000 square-foot building, there are a multitude of small businesses, ranging from coffee shops to beauty salons, as well as office spaces for business owners.
When designing the architecture of the Hub, Anthony made sure that the “Black aesthetic” was expressed. Bright colors and angles are implemented throughout the building, as well as a brown overhang wrapping around the building to represent the stoops in urban areas.
The Hub also provides many resources for entrepreneurs to amplify the quality and credibility of their business.
On the lowest level, there is a commercial kitchen available to business owners in the food industry. It is equipped with industrial stoves and coolers that allow them to mass produce their menu in a way that would not be possible out of their home or food truck.
On the upper levels, the Hub has implemented offices for business owners who are in search of financing for their ventures. Hope Community Capital and Forward Community Investment are two spaces in the Hub that give out loans and grants for developing businesses.
There are also classrooms set up for gBETA and gALPHA training, which are programs for businesses looking to expand and network. Everything a business owner needs to excel “is all in one spot,” Anthony said.
Daijah Wade, owner of The Walking Jerk, which offers a Caribbean plant-based menu, began her business by exclusively offering catering services, but now has a permanent shop on the first floor of The Hub.
Wade told the Cardinal with the Hub’s help, she was able to expand her business's menu and grow its platform, reaching far more people than she was able to before.“It’s just so nice to be in a place where we’re welcomed and we can just engage with everyone,” she said.
Since their opening in 2024, the Black Business Hub has interacted with over 200 entities through their pop-ups, training programs and classes. The Hub’s success is a major leap towards their goal of creating a Black Renaissance within Madison, WI.
Anthony said “there is a lot of black and brown development going on in this area,” with the Hub acting as a central outlet for business owners to amplify their product or service and be able to reach a widespread number of consumers.
Anthony said he hopes the Hub continues to be an engine, economically and socially, for all small businesses to find their resources and have the ability to grow.
“I think that it is going to be a gift that will keep on giving for many years to come,” he said.
