Black Shop Friday Logo

Origin and Evolution

The initial “Black Shop Friday Campaign” was created by Black and diverse staff members at Chicago-based agency OKRP, led by Aubrey Walker, Executive Creative Director in November 2020. Since then, Black Shop Friday has been established as a separate, non-profit organization dedicated to amplifying Black voices & culture.

What is Black Shop Friday?

Black Shop Friday is dedicated to raise awareness of local black-owned businesses by calling on people to commit to visit and purchase from at least one black-owned business – brick-and-mortar or online, product or service – as part of their regular routine on the busiest shopping day of the year.

One Black business in your cart

In Partnership With

Earlier this year, Black Shop Friday collaborated with Target to establish a majority-Black board of directors. This important partnership helps diversify perspectives, expand campaign reach, and extend retail training for our participating businesses. Target supports Black-owned businesses in every stage of development, and we encourage participants to apply for Target Accelerator Programs: Target Takeoff & Forward Founders. Both programs are designed to help entrepreneurs increase their potential for long-term success in retail.

Produced by

Black-owned Creative & Production Partners

  • Photography: Parrish Lewis
  • Typography: Vocal Type Co./ Tré Seals
  • Editorial: Spin Artists
  • Music Composition: Slang Music

Board of Directors

  • Aubrey Walker III, OKRP
  • Carol H. Williams, Carol Williams Advertising
  • Elena Robinson, Whiskey & Bananas Studios
  • Karen Freeman-Wilson, Chicago Urban League
  • Rahul Roy, OKRP

Supported by

Chicago Urban League
City of Chicago
Don’t see your favorite Black-owned business?
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