Celebrating Black History Month in Wilmington, DE

Ernest Green Interview at the Wilmington Public Library

The month of February dedicates its 28 days to recognizing and celebrating African-Americans

and honoring their contributions to society. During the month, Downtown Wilmington

businesses are hosting special events to educate, remember, and celebrate African Americans’

achievements throughout history.

The Living Legend Series

The Wilmington Public Library is hosting The Living Legend series for Black History Month.

• Ernest Green | Feb 17 

  Ernest Green is one of the Little Rock Nine, a group of African American students who, in

  1957, were the first black students ever to attend classes at the segregated Little Rock

  Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Green was the first African American to

  graduate from the school in 1958.

  Green’s interview will be with CNN Commentator Bakari Sellers.

• Pam Grier | Feb 23

  Actress Pam Grier is best known for her portrayal of tough and sexy crime fighters in the

  1970s genre of “blaxploitation” films such as ‘The Big Bird Cage’, ‘Coffy’, ‘Foxy Brown’

  and ‘Sheba Baby’. Her later work in the 1998 film Jackie Brown earned her a Golden

  Globe nomination. 

  Tonya Baynes will be moderating the conversation.

Clifford Brown Year Around  | Feb 18

Rekindle the love in your life this month with Clifford Brown Year Round! On 2/18 at the

new CSC Station, enjoy performances by Maya Belardo, Nadjah Nicole, Jea Street

(and many more!) as they answer the question “How Do You Sing Love?” Buy your

tickets today!

 A virtual link will be available for those who cannot attend in person.

The Negro Spiritual: An Afternoon Event at SsAM | Feb 19

These songs have become deeply embedded in American culture and modern faith, songs whose creators — often enslaved Black Americans — have gone largely unacknowledged, their names lost to time. Featuring the Wilmington Children’s Chorus and narrated by Bebe Coker.

Free parking in the church parking lot. Click here for directions.

The event will be live-streamed for those who cannot or choose not to attend in-person here at our church. Click here to view SsAM’s YouTube Channel.

A free-will offering will be collected from those attending.

LaFate Gallery: Black History Month Diverse Perspectives | Until Feb 26

Award Winning Folk Artist, Eunice LaFate presents a month-long exhibition called “Black History Month…Diverse Perspectives.” The exhibition features art representing a range of perspectives and moments in Black History.

Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11AM-5PM

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Local Black-owned Businesses

Take some time this month (and all year) to shop and eat at local Black owned businesses in Downtown Wilmington. Below are a list of Black-owned businesses you can help support! 

Amity Bistro | 209 N Market St

Opened in October of 2021, enjoy classic breakfast options and American favorites for lunch and dinner. You crave it, Amity Bistro will provide.

Artzscape | 205 N Market St

Artzscape is an innovative performance and event space for theater, music, comedy, poetry, art, and social events.

Evelyn’s Soul Food | 1409 N King St 

From breakfast to dinner, Evelyn’s Soul Food has you covered. Stop by and grab some delicious soul food that’ll keep your tummy happy all day long.

Green Box Kitchen | 400 N Market St & DECO

With the goal of making healthier eating uncomplicated and easily accessible, Green Box Kitchen offers cold pressed juices, smoothies, acai bowls, buddha bowls and much more!

LaFate Gallery | 227 N Market St

Opened in 1993, LaFate Gallery presents a collection of contemporary, traditional, and folk art that reflect Caribbean and American landscapes.

Milk & Honey | 239 N Market St & 807 N Union St

A coffeehouse, gallery, and venue space, Milk & Honey is where the community gathers, and memorable events are held. Make sure to try their famous flat white and one of their many sandwich options.

Morgan’s of Delaware | 222 Delaware Ave

Dress to the nines with the help of Morgan’s of Delaware. The boutique carries a range of clothes and accessories fit for uptown elegance to downtown edge.

Tasties 302 | 825 N Market St

Tasties 302 offers a selection of mouth-watering soul food from southern fried chicken, beef short ribs, and their famous alfredo pasta. Dine-in and take-out options available. 

The Sold Firm | 800-B N Tatnall St

Founded in 2019, The Sold Firm features modern and contemporary emerging, talented visual artists. Their exhibits address a diverse range of cultural subject matters.

DCAD is Back in Session!

Downtown is excited to have so many new faces on Market Street. It’s been 2 years since the students have been back Downtown experiencing in-person learning at the Delaware College of Art & Design (DCAD).  While the students have been virtual learning for the last 18 months they are ready to be back on campus and the DCAD community and staff couldn’t be happier to welcome new and returning students!

Let's meet the Class of 2023: 

• 53 students are from Delaware, 11 came from Pennsylvania, 9 from Maryland, 7 from New Jersey, and one from Alabama! Wow!

• 95% of students are receiving financial aid (merit scholarships, state and federal grants, loans, etc.)

• Nearly $500K worth of Merit Scholarships were awarded.

DCAD has also been busy with renovations to the 707 King Street residence hall and cafeteria space. Thanks to both the Crystal Trust Foundation and the Longwood Foundation, the HVAC and air handling was completely renovated— another sign of the great things happening in Downtown Wilmington, DE. DCAD President Jean Dahlgren said, “It is so wonderful to welcome our community of artist and designers back to Wilmington, and we hope the community welcomes them as warmly as we do.”

Second-Year DCAD student and RA, Aidel Pedro said “I did well while doing school remotely, but I think that making friends and connections at school is more valuable than the information that I learn. I live in the Residence Hall, and being surrounded by creative people like myself is really inspiring since we all push each other to do better and have similar goals and interests. It's also a great opportunity to sharpen social skills. Artists need to spend a lot of time in solitude to produce art. I like being alone, but I know being isolated too long is unhealthy. Being here in person will help me grow as a person.”

You can help future students by contributing to DCAD's Scholarship Fund. This fund helps offset the cost of attending college in the form of merit-based scholarships and need-based grants.

To learn more or to keep up with what’s happening at DCAD please visit their website at www.dcad.edu.

Stick to your New Year's Resolutions with These Downtown Businesses

Sticking to your New Year's resolutions all year long can be difficult, but with help from these Downtown Wilmington DE businesses you'll be able to achieve your goals whether you want to feel your best, nourish your body, or even learn a new skill!

If you want to feel your best…

CoreTen Fitness | 1007 N. Orange Street, Suite GL-05

CoreTen Fitness is Wilmington, DE’s premier fitness facility offering a variety of membership options for any type of exerciser. In addition to their state-of-the-art cardio equipment, knowledgeable coaches and extensive weight room, CoreTen Fitness offers personal training programs, group exercise classes, small group training and more!

Central YMCA | 501 W 11th St

As a Y member, you will have access to personalized fitness plans, state-of-the-art fitness centers, hundreds of group exercise classes, babysitting while you work out, indoor and outdoor pools, tons of programming for youth and adults, personal training and so much more! Oh, and did you know that you can also visit most YMCAs across the country at no extra charge? What are you waiting for?

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If you want to nourish your body…

Eat Clean Juice Bar | 225 N Market St

Healthy never tasted this good! Eat Clean is a full-service juice bar serving health-conscious comfort food, including cold-pressed juices using local and organic produce. Build your own smoothies & acai bowls with an array of ingredients that meet your healthy tastebuds, and so much more.

Green Box Kitchen | 400 N Market St

Eating healthy should be simple and enjoyable. The goal of Green Box Kitchen is to make eating healthy uncomplicated and tasty by using nutrient-dense, plant-based ingredients that are not only good for you but, also taste absolutely amazing. Their mission is to nourish our community by serving a healthy, approachable, and tasteful plant-based menu, all while rooting our efforts in local philanthropy and social change. 

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If you want to learn something new…

LaFate Gallery | 227 N Market St

Painting the Folk Art Way class is designed for participants to "Discover the Artist in YOU". The presenter will discuss the basics of creating a work of art. Participants will tour the gallery for inspiration. Participants will be guided to create a work of art using LINES, SHAPES, & COLORS.

NextFab | 503 N Tatnall St

At NextFab, you’ll find all the tools and technology needed to support your entrepreneurial endeavors, as well as a tight-knit community to connect with. With department workshops, offices, communal space, and flexible space ready to be tailored to members’ needs, they offer the latest resources and a clean, comfortable environment to work in.

The Sold Firm | 800 N Tatnall St

The STORM exhibit opens Friday 2/19/21 in the Sold Firm art gallery. This is a solo exhibit by Sakana Walls. An incarcerated painter using his gift as freedom until the release date. Tickets are $10 and are now available for opening weekend 2/19, 2/20 and 2/21. Sakana will be live on video during opening weekend, from the correctional facility he is currently housed in.

Wilmington Public Library | 10 E 10th St

It's Lit Community Book Club is a partnership between the Wilmington Public Library and PowHER Book Club. This book club is an open virtual space for adults. Each month they read a book from a writer from the African diaspora. For more information and to register for the book club, click here.

Have you ever wanted to learn American Sign Language? Here's your chance! Learn the basics of American Sign Language ONLINE through the library! This class will meet every Wednesday at 7pm via Zoom for (4) weeks. All participants are expected to attend all four sessions. Each week participants will learn new skills to prepare them for future meetings. Learn more.

Zip Code Wilmington | 1007 N Orange St, 4th Floor

No matter your age, gender, educational background, or career, Zip Code Wilmington coaches every day, motivated people from diverse backgrounds into skilled, professional developers. The program will give you the know-how and network to build a career you're excited about all while doing meaningful work. Join a dynamic group of people hungry to be in control of their career paths and love what they do. Become a Zip Coder.

COVID-19 Small Business Webinar Series

Learn tips & strategies on applying for state and federal small business resources. Webinars will be held every Wednesday during the month of April at 3pm with Zoom video conferencing. Click here for more info.

Wednesday, April 1st, 2020 at 3PM

• H.E.L.P Hospitality Emergency Loan Program

• Speaker: Damian DeStefano, Delaware Division of Small Business

• Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/473149076

• Meeting ID: 473 149 076

Wednesday, April 8th, 2020 at 3PM

• SBA Disaster Relief Program for Small Businesses

• Speaker John Fleming, Small Business Administration

• Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/915176488

• Meeting ID: 915 176 488

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 at 3PM

• Services to Assist with Application Documentation

• Speaker: TBD, DE Small Business Development Center

• Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/646763385

• Meeting ID: 646 763 385

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2020 at 3PM

• How to Restructure Debt

• Speaker: Clinton Tymes, True Access Capital & Women's Business Center

• Login: https://zoom.us/j/507676069

• Meeting ID: 507 676 069

Wednesday, April 29th, 2020 at 3PM

• Rent Relief due to Revenue Decreases

• Speaker: Greg Ellis, Patterson-Woos Commercial Properties

• Login: HTTPS://ZOOM.US/J/333930183

• Meeting ID: 333 930 183

Best of 2019: Downtown Visions Year in Review!

Image Credit: Andrew Kucienski

As we kick off 2020 and begin a new decade, let’s take a look back at the best year yet for Downtown Visions and Main Street Wilmington. 2019 was filled with growth for Downtown Wilmington, and we are thrilled to have aided in the progress.

Downtown Visions mission is to create, manage, and promote a quality environment for people who live, work, and visit Downtown Wilmington. We do this through a variety of initiatives, including our Main Street Wilmington program. As a Main Street community, Downtown Visions not only preserves historic buildings, but also focuses on small business recruitment, marketing, and promotion.

This past year we achieved our mission through a number of efforts supporting our small businesses. We held monthly Merchant Meetings for Downtown business owners to share ideas and connect with each other. We provided event support for city-wide festivals, like the Ladybug Festival and Downtown Brew Fest, and ongoing marketing support through our social media channels and blog.

Through our Facade Improvement Program, Cavanaugh’s received a grant from Downtown Visions, Comenity Bank and Bank of America to complete a major renovation process that restored their historic building to its former glory in honor of their 30th anniversary on Market Street. We also awarded a grant to LRS Capital Partners for restoring a longtime vacant property on 8th Street.

We also launched two new marketing campaigns to drive traffic during historically slow weeks. Made on Market and Market Made: 12 Days of Christmas were completely free for businesses to participate in simply providing an exclusive offer valid during the week of the campaign. In partnership with New Market Wilm, we handled the creation and promotion of graphics, posters, advertisements, and social media posts during the campaigns.

In March, we attended the National Main Street Conference in Seattle and was an American Express presenter for Small Business Saturday. During the conference, we were awarded a $500 grant towards our Small Business Saturday campaign in Downtown Wilmington.

In December, we hosted the very first Pop-Up Holiday Village and launched our holiday lights display in Willingtown Square. The Pop-Up Village took place after the Wilmington Christmas parade and drew over 600 visitors to the pop-up alone. Vendors saw a boost in sales and expressed positive feedback from the event.

“I thought the event went really well. It was well organized, and it gave us an opportunity to be exposed to new customers,” said Delaware Originals. “I really appreciated the tent being provided as this was a big plus!”

Last, but certainly not least, Downtown Visions celebrated the opening of 20 new businesses within the Central Business District in 2019. These businesses include: Dunkin, BoostMobile, DECO Food Hall, IM Coffee, Wildwich, Girard Craft & Cork, WHYY, Makers Alley, Torbet Social, Faire Market & Cafe, King Creative, Studio Nurture, Drip Café, Three Kings Kustoms, Blitzen, The Chicken Spot, El Diablo, Green Box Kitchen, Jet Phynx, Wilmington Land Bank Conservancy, and ArchCraft.

Downtown Visions works to show the world what an amazing place Downtown Wilmington, Delaware is every day, and we could not do so without help from our incredible community. Please consider donating to Downtown Visions and support our efforts to preserve, progress, and promote Downtown Wilmington all year long!