01-03-2025
Beale Street employee sees little impact from ‘Blackout Friday'
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Consumers across the nation were urged to participate in an economic boycott called 'Blackout Friday,' which called for people to refrain from spending money at major retailers and support small businesses instead.
A Memphis small business retail employee did not feel the impact of 'Blackout Friday.'
'Our business really depends a lot on, like tourists, and like, local people, you know, and so when people aren't showing up for that, it really hurts our business,' said Kylan Cothren, a retail employee at B.B. King's Blues Club. 'So, like, this 'Blackout Friday' has really hurt our business.'
'Blackout Friday' urges boycott of major retailers
Organizers say the goal of the economic protest is to put money towards small or Black-owned businesses, rather than some major retailers who are rolling back diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Amazon and Target are just some of the companies that are no longer upholding DEI policies.
A group of tourists I spoke with say that's why participating in Friday's 'economic blackout' is so important.
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'We standing together as a community, I mean we get so much negativity with going to all these different stores and they don't really support our communities,' said Cothren.
'I like the fact that when we have these types of events going on, that everybody can come together as a whole,' said Cothren. 'Everybody's reciprocating to one another due to what has happened in our past.'
Supporters are encouraging people to support small or Black-owned businesses frequently, not only on days like this.
Cothren said to look around town and learn who has businesses because these businesses do not have commercials like Amazon and Walmart, but they have great things, especially in Memphis.
Organizers have other 'economic blackouts' planned for the future, but those events will specifically target certain companies.
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