The market aimed to elevate minority entrepreneurship and anchor new development in Stonecrest near Atlanta. But its collapse leaves only questions.
Lord Hester, event coordinator, arranges a flower display at the New Black Wall Street Market in Lithonia, on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. The market gave black business owners the opportunity to sell their products. (Christina Matacotta for the AJC 2022)
Though signs of its impending closure were all around this past weekend, the New Black Wall Street Market was having one last hurrah.
On Saturday, during what was termed the “Customer Appreciation Blowout Sale,” a DJ played oldies while thanking shoppers for coming by the Stonecrest bazaar and pointing out the free cupcakes. A giant black, gold and white balloon arch stood next to the Pink Lion Jazz Club ahead of its farewell show later that night.
sraey nehw erew saw seraw srodnev ot eht eht eht eht eht taht naht erutcurts peets tsaehtuos llams gnilles gniniamer denepo eno fo fo raen denwo-ytironim selim tekram .snwodkram ssel tsal ti edisni yawllah espmilg tnorf evif tsrif wef tnemeticxe delcricne etavele detartnecnoc suonrevac .sessenisub ta ta dna gnimia ,oga tsoM tI -kcalB atnaltA 02
eW“ tsuJ“ sihT‘ uoy elihw erew erew erew .dnekeew ew ew saw srodnev siht ”,ereht eht eht eht eht eht eht eht taht troppus dias gniniamer ”’.ecalp eno fo fo fo shtnom .tekram ,ekil ,wonk si laitini laedi gnitteg rednuof wef ,ygrene ,tpecnoc ,U4Bkcalb tuoba ehS ylrebmiK ,eneerG
The exterior and main entrance at the New Black Wall Street Market at Stonecrest. (Chris Hunt for the AJC)
htiw htiw erew llaw gnirutnev rodnev reliart eht eht eht eht taht .sngis tser .devomer elpoep eciffo fo fo ,won tsom gnissim tekram dedaol otni ni ni seloh sgnignah dah rehtruf erutinruf ,tnorf morf ,ytpme llawyrd gnidliub shtoob neeb sdraobesab dna dna a tuO tuB toof-erauqs-000,521
tahw srodnev ot ot siht eht taht taht htuos seraperp yltnenamrep slaiciffo fo gninruom gnol lacol aedi evah evah rof etaf dedule smaerd tnempoleved reviled dluoc renroc esolc teewsrettib .neeb sa era dna na suoitibma demia a llaW ,yadsruhT teertS ,woN weN tekraM s’tI blaKeD .ytnuoC kcalB
tI“ saw gnikatrednu taht .dias dehcaer ”,laitnetop elbon reven sti lluf a eniarroL blaKeD nosnhoJ-narhcoC OEC
The death of the founder
”lliB“ ohw saw denrut ot eht tsiporhtnalihp denepo fo tekram etal ni ni .sepoh hgih erafnaf ruenerpertne deid repoleved dlihcniarb dna dna na ehT retseceL tI ,nellA .4202 1202
dluow erehw ,seraw tnacav gninrut gnivirht rieht eht eht eht naht ekat erots htuos lles dias desoporp esahp no fo fo erom nredom noillim ecalptekram tekram ti otni ni cirotsih traeh eh tsrif sruenerpertne .tcirtsid tnempoleved dluoc ssenisub dednarb eb sa dna na suoitibma gnola ,oga a a a a sraeY tegraT 02-I .blaKeD kcalB kcalB nellA 001 007$
etihw saw gnivirht eht eht taht taht stnediser fo fo deledom bom nwonk dellik ni aedi cirotsih sih snezod nwod decalpsid .ytinummoc ytinummoc yb denrub sa dna retfa a a llaW ,asluT asluT ,teertS ecaR ,amohalkO ercassaM eH doowneerG kcalB kcalB 1291
DeKalb entrepreneur Lecester “Bill” Allen. (Courtesy photo)
erew rodnev eht taht ylidaets stops .detner ,denepo fo ylraen tekram sti tsrif .deldniwd lla nehW tuB 811
.raey erew srodnev dlot siht ereht eht eht fo s’tekram ,reganam lareneg gninnigeb ta tuoba ehT aihtenO noitutitsnoC-lanruoJ ,srewolF atnaltA 03
ohw eht slles dias yllaiciffo tekram desnecil ,seugael ni reh morf werd ,lerappa dna eegeksuT sreidloS weN orgeN yesreJ ,eneerG olaffuB nemriA .2202
eW“ ,lleW‘ ll’ew ’.skeew .skeew ew ew saw .su ,pu ,pu owt ot neht neht erots yats .dias ,dias ,pu-pop nalp elpoep ruo denepo denepo won erom evil dekil ekil tsuj ni esuoh ereh rof nwod elpuoc emac eb sa dna dna dna a a a a oS eneerG ”,aigroeG dnA dnA
,raey krow ,sdnekeew syadkeew .keew saw ot eht eht taht detrats ,wols .dias ylralucitrap no no fo tsom tekram ti tsrif gnirud ysub dna nehT eneerG roF
nehw“ er’ew ew ,saw saw ot sgniht gniht er’yeht eht taht ,deppots detrats ehs dias elpoep ruo fo ton wonk fi ,ereh gnivah gniog rehtruf t’nod denilced snoitasrevnoc ”.emoc tseggib gninnigeb esuaceb ta dna dna gnisitrevda nehT ,3202
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eht eht .tesno tekram morf decaf segnellahc tuB
.raey saw kcitpu owt eht eht stnanet dehsinrat htuos denrocs ,dias ,foor ,cimednap gninepo fo fo fo ,shtnom tekram tnemeganam ykael sredael sti sti snoitcefni ni ni dnarg remrof tsrif deyaled evitabmoc esuaceb dna na dima a stropeR robaL depoleveD .blaKeD yaD 91-DIVOC 1202
eht eht taht dias tnaruatser gnihcaer .laitnetop snoitpo fo tekram kcal tpek sti ti ni lluf morf osla eneerG
nehW“ dnA“ uoY‘ nehw ,llew ew saw tnaw ot ot ot sgniht yeht eht eht taht taht ehs ,gniyas .dias elpoep eno fo gniteem ,wonk tpek si gniog doof yreve ”,tae ”’?emoc ,emoc eb ta elba
htiw nehw saw saw litnu eht eht xis ,evitatneserper laer gnitarepo .denepo shtnom emitgnol ti sgnidloh sih etatse rotcerid ssenisub gnitsissa dna osla .oga tuoba llaW teertS weN ttaM s’tekraM etutitsnI eH notpmaH lairuenerpertnE kcalB s’nellA nellA
New Black Wall Street Market Director Matt Hampton talked about future development and ongoing construction projects and clients in 2021. (Chris Hunt for the AJC)
,dnekeew eht evivrus sesseccus sreppohs dias degnolorp s’tekram tekram sti ni ssenlli morf tsrif ylrae gnirud htaed t’ndluoc tub detcartta a ehT notpmaH s’nellA .4202 000,01
uoY“ tI“ saw ”,su etanutrofnu dlot kniht eht .ecneserp ro fo ”.ledom pihsredael s’ti ti sih sih mih evah evah dah taerg laudarg rof t’ndid t’ndid yletinifed ,enilced esuaceb sa dna lla a a a uoY ratS htroN I notpmaH .CJA
Big tax breaks, little to show
htiw saw ot esoht eht laer ytreporp lacitilop .snalp renwo degarevel pihsredael tsegral tratskcik ni sgnidloh eh etatse tnempoleved snoitcennoc laicremmoc ytic dna dna suoitibma ,tsercenotS nellA
sraey saw ot ot eht eht taht retroppus trap fo fo ylraen tnemevom ni tih drah laicnanif troffe cimonoce tnempoleved .sisirc ytnuoc doohytic yb gnirb na demia oga a a s’tsercenotS nellA ,6102 02
ohw .htlaew eht eht dias ,tnediser stcejorp stekcop dekoolrevo eno fo fo tsegral egral si yllacirotsih sah rof tnempoleved etipsed s’yrtnuoc gnieb neeb aera osla a tsercenotS ,nosnhoJ-narhcoC kcalB
nevE“ htlaew litnu ot hguoht ,ereht eht eht eht eht taht .dias tiurcer ,tneserp fo ynam s’ti si si htrof tluciffid ”,serised ytisned ytinummoc sessenisub gnirb dna nosnhoJ-narhcoC
saw pot eht taht ,ytiroirp deugalp fo edam sredael .seussi noitareneg tsrif troffe gnignahc yb hguohtla a s’tsercenotS
eht eht eht naht maet strops strops spohs stnaruatser rehtar desoporp .desimorp tcejorp raen noillim stiuswal otni ,sdleif tnemniatretne devloved tnempoleved srepoleved xelpmoc dellac ta dna dna a a ehT .tsercenotS stropS llaM nI ytiC atnaltA ,7102 002$
Urban Retail Properties executives explained aspects of their proposed project called Atlanta Sports City during a news conference on May 17, 2017. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
lanoitanretnI“ htiw htiw ohw saw saw msiruot ot eht desoppus ytreporp gninoitisop .nalp dehctip .esahp nwo fo ton hcum erom noillim sti devlovni letoh sih tsrif neve denoisivne .noitanitsed eb sa dna suoitibma deriuqca a a a llaW ”egalliV ehT teertS tsercenotS stropS weN tekraM eH ,ytiC kcalB atnaltA ,nellA yrots-61 007$
owt hguorht eht eht taht xat stroppus detroppus tnemtiurcer tcejorp ylno .edam ti ni tnemnrevog reve ytitne slaed noitcurtsnoc ssenisub ,skaerb dna a ehT tsercenotS tnempoleveD ,ytirohtuA
,sraey t’ndluow dluow htrow htrow htiw eulav ot ot ot ot eht eht eht eht eht eht sexat sexat xat ylidaets ylhguor ,sdrocer laer edivorp ytreporp ytreporp dennalp yap revo no .noillim ,noillim tekram rettal dnal si si otni esaercni ni eh tsrif ,mrif etatse deretne ,poleved .edaced ytnuoc .kaerb ytirohtua yna dna dna dna stnemeerga serca tuoba a llaW ehT teertS weN tekraM ,stnemtsevnI roF ylimaF kcalB s’nellA nellA nellA gnidroccA 003 raey-22 0202 9102 21 5.4$ 03$
hcihw erew saw saw .emit eht eht eht eht xat xat traehteews deppets dias lanigiro no enin shtnom rebmem tsrif nwod tnempoleved deined ,slaed tub skaerb kaerb draob erofeb s’ytirohtua ta .devorppa na tuoba scitirC nellA nellA
sraey ohw saw detalernu owt ot emit eht eht taht naht ,detroppus tneps .ladnacs dengiser feiler margorp .nosirp dedaelp fo erom ,royam royam del ni ni eh ytliug gnidnuof laredef deliorbme gnirud tnempoleved gniduarfed erofeb ytirohtua sa dna na a tsercenotS ,yraL yraL nosaJ 91-DIVOC nellA
htiw saw ,emit .neht eht taht srosseccus ecnis selbmahs gniniamer gnitutitsnocer gnigrup srebmem edam tfel ti ni ni t’nsah gnirud tnempoleved laed draob dna a ehT tsercenotS s’yraL tI tnempoleveD ytirohtuA .3202
ot eht eht eht stnemetats deriuqer detaler sdrocer stcejorp roirp ro fo ton noitagitsevni ni evah dnuof laicnanif stnemucod did ,slaed yb yb dnob ytirohtua sdroceR nepO aigroeG nA .tcA CJA 2202
eht eht eht eht eht eht xat stseuqer ytreporp ylsuoiverp fo ,royam ,tekram weivretni erutuf cimonoce ,rotcerid tnempoleved denilced tnerruc s’ytic .skaerb dedrawa dna dna tuoba tsercenotS ,lladnaR ecnaL nimzzaJ ,elbboC
ot ot eht xat hcus ,elas renwo revo fo wen sti gnisaercni ni rof .tnempoleved esac deirrac eb ssenevitcartta era elba stnemetaba a a ,yllacipyT
nellA“ ot eht eht .dias ssendas fo fo fo tekram tol ekil ti sih ,doog sleef dne ”,stroffe seod did eerged gnisolc tub gnirb esuaceb na a a nosnhoJ-narhcoC
Rovel Buchanan sold his products at the New Black Wall Street Market on Saturday, October 15, 2022. The market had been in operation for over a year when photo was taken. (Christina Matacotta for the AJC)
krow htiw ot eht eht eht taht etis ,tcejorp no fo on esu-dexim s’tekram kool thgil sah deretsof degaruocne .smaerd enod srepoleved erusolc redaorb gib ta dna syawla tsercenotS nI nosnhoJ-narhcoC
oS“ I“ ew pu ot hguoht sgniht yeht eht eht taht taht taht wohs ehs ees .dias elpoep elpoep fo deen evom tol evah evah evah drawrof neve t’nod ”,erised ”.yticapac yticapac a a
‘Pick up the baton’
rodnev ot eht .tnorferots nwo lanigiro fo fo dleh-gnol reh reh reh gnivah evag maerd ecnahc dna na eveihca a ,smailliW llaW teertS ,eppohS weN tekraM s’J ettauqaJ tfiG roF OEC kcalB
eht dias gnissap .tekram ylpeed detceffa smailliW s’nellA
toN“ I“ saw su pu ot kniht sgniht eht eht eht taht taht enoemos ehs .dias ylbaborp ecalp kcip eno fo gnivom ”.tsom peek tsuj ti ni truh gnivah ”,drawrof notab dna
Customers walked among the storefronts at the New Black Wall Street Market, on Saturday, October 15, 2022. (Christina Mattacotta for the AJC)
dluow“ tnaw ,srodnev ot eht eht eht ehs dias no fo s’tekram ”.ycagel depoh dah ylimaf yrrac rehtona ,eneerG nellA
nevE“ uoy lliw ,llew saw saw tnaw koot llot ot ot ot hguoht ereht eht taht ydobemos ydobemos ehs .dias trap edistuo ro no fo em ebyam yam ,ekil ”,efil ,wonk wonk ,tsuj ti ti ,ni morf ediced emoc emoc gnirb gib kcab dna a a .rM I ,nellA
erew ot ot hguorht eht .lufsseccus hcaer srehto ton ,tekram yletaidemmi sih remrof ylimaf detcennoc dna ,edia ,notpmaH stpmettA s’nellA
lliw saw erusnu .raelcnu yeht eht eht eht eht s’ecaps ehs lles dias gnidrager ro fo won .ton s’tekram ,reganam ti si si ni fi lareneg erutuf erutuf ylimaf snoissucsid tub ,gnidliub ehT ,srewolF nellA
lliw .syaw syaw ot ot eht eht troppus dias rehto .no levon ytironim s’tekram evil ycagel ti deripsni ni erolpxe yrtnuoc seitinummoc sessenisub ssorca notpmaH tuB kcalB
tub“ tI“ rednu ot ot kniht eht trats ,dias etacilper elpoep ”.tnemevom til ti ti ”,ereh eh erif deliaf yrtnuoc dnuora dna osla a a I
Mirtha Donastorg is a reporter on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s business team focusing on Black wealth, entrepreneurship, and minority-owned businesses as well as innovation at Atlanta’s HBCUs.
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He’s been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people’s lives.
