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Black Wall Street Corner Store & More sells a wide range of products to the people of Greenwood six days out of the week.
Angela Robinson owns the store with help from her son Jarvis Robinson, daughter Jasmine Davistone and her late husband. The store is a family business that is looking to be passed down for generations.
“I would never sell this store, to create wealth we need generational wealth and we need things to be passed down to our children and their children to show them that they can do anything they put their minds to do as long as they keep God first.” Robinson said.
The store originally started as A&E Dollar Store & More over on Pine and Peoria. A&E was started by Robinson and her sister, it was around for four years before having to close due to the Covid pandemic. After being away for a while, Robinson was able to open BWS Corner Store & More during the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre.
The store sells everything from children’s books, books about the massacre, snacks and drinks to jewelry from Ghana, sunglasses, and clothing. Robinson, who is from the east coast, wanted to call the store a bodega, a small grocery store mainly in urban areas, but many people in Oklahoma didn’t know what that meant. After doing some research, she decided the name “Corner Store” was more fitting. “Corner store kinda says it all but the ‘& more’ part really came to life based on the products that I have here,” Robinson said.
Black Wall Street Business allows other vendors
Many of the clothing, books, and accessories sold in the store are made by Black vendors. “ I knew that I wanted to allow vendors to be able to put their products in the store, especially Black vendors, who may not have an opportunity to own their own storefront or who may not have the money to open their own business,” Robinson told The Black Wall Street Times.
Despite only being one store, Black Wall Street Corner Store & More is able to sell products from 37 Black vendors. Anybody that would like to reach out to possibly sell their products in store can stop by at 109 North Greenwood Ave. right next to Wanda J’s or call at (918)-932-8280.
Whenever you walk into the store you can expect to be called King/Queen and to hear music playing. “Great customer service is the key to success, people want to feel that they are appreciated,” Robinson said. “I hope how I treat my customers comes across genuine because I truly feel that I truly believe that you are king because you are, I truly believe when I call females “come on in here my sisters” that makes them laugh, that makes them feel good.”
Robinson doesn’t greet the customers just so they will buy something either. “I’ve had people tell me, ‘I really wasn’t here to buy anything but it was your personality, where I want to support you.’ and I’m not doing it to get support, I’m doing it to show my people that we can love each other. We know how to love everybody else except ourselves and our own people.” Robinson told The Black Wall Street Times.
Building community in Historic Greenwood
Community has meant everything in the time that the business has been on Black Wall Street. “I love my people, I love this community, I’m not driving from Broken Arrow or anywhere, I live in the community where I work and where I’ve wanted to put a business.” Robinson said.
On the wall behind the cash register is a picture made for Robinson that was drawn by a three-year-old customer. “I guess I made an impression on this little girl when she walked in. I was like, You are so beautiful. And she was just like, amazed that I said that to her,” Robinson said.
“Her mom told me that when they got home and all the way in when they were in the car that she wanted to make me something. So she drew me this picture. She bugged her mother until she was able to get back downtown to bring me this picture. That picture will stay on my wall there until the store closes.”
Black Wall Street Corner Store & More is located on 109 North Greenwood Ave. next to Wanda J’s and is open Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Link to Black Wall Street Times>