BREAKING BARRIERS TO BUSINESS | CHARLOTTE, NC

In neighborhoods like Sugar Creek and Wilkinson Boulevard, the small business community is rising to meet challenges head-on, and showing what’s possible when collaboration, strategy, and trust take root.

Charlotte, NC is the second city featured in the Breaking Barriers to Business (B3) docu-series, a collaborative series spotlighting the groundbreaking initiative toward building equitable communities, in partnership with Main Street America and Living Cities and supported by Truist Foundation. The series highlights local voices and explores what it takes to build a more inclusive economy — one where small businesses and community corridors have the tools they need to thrive. In Charlotte, that work is visible on the ground and in the stories of the business owners, civic leaders, and neighborhood champions who are pushing it forward.

Historic West End: Reviving Visibility, Driving Vibrancy

In Charlotte’s Historic West End, the desire to reclaim visibility and drive new vibrancy is palpable. For Cassandra Drakeford of the West and Wilkinson Boulevard Merchants Association, revitalization isn’t just about foot traffic, it’s about pride. ​“We want tourists. We want people to come and actually visit our corridor. We want them to shop,” she shares. ​“Aesthetically, if you see something and it looks good, you’re going to come back and you’re going to buy in.”

Years of disinvestment and lack of access to capital left the area’s storefronts and infrastructure fighting to keep up with the promise of surrounding growth. With support from the B3 initiative, local leaders are gaining the tools, partnerships, and support needed to shift from vision to implementation.

“I think we just didn’t know where to go. Main Street and Living Cities put us in the right direction, helping us access funding and gain the leadership skills we need to carry out this project,” said Cassandra Drakeford of the West and Wilkinson Boulevard Merchants Association. ​“I truly believe that once we become the face of what’s needed for change, we’ll have the tools to sustain the corridor — to keep it going, keep it vibrant, and keep it aesthetically appealing for the future.”

For the West End, revitalization extends beyond business growth. It’s about creating a place where community thrives alongside one another, opportunity is shared, and economic development is shaped by those who call it home.
 

Revitalizing Sugar Creek: Knowledge, Visibility, and Safety

At the heart of North Charlotte’s Sugar Creek corridor is the Chicken Box Cafe, a family-owned restaurant that has served the community for more than two decades. Co-owner Erica Williams knows that running a business in a rapidly changing neighborhood comes with challenges, from staffing to unexpected expenses to the rising cost of food. But with the right support, she’s found ways to keep growing.

Through her involvement with the Sugar Creek Business Association, Erica has connected with other entrepreneurs and secured over $200,000 in grant funding, transforming what’s possible for her business and inspiring others to do the same.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do the upgrades we’ve done — like resurfacing our parking lot — without those opportunities. It’s made a real difference,” she shared.

Aliza Diggs-Bailey, who leads the corridor-wide efforts to strengthen the small business ecosystem, knows just how critical this momentum is. ​“With the support of Main Street America and Living Cities, we’ve been able to strengthen our relationship with the city, dig deep into what the barriers to business actually are, and create strategic plans to tackle them,” she said.

From crime prevention partnerships to increased access to funding and collaborative planning, the Sugar Creek corridor is charting a new path forward, powered by small business leaders who are turning resilience into results.

“Join us in helping make Sugar Creek sweet again and turning possibility into prosperity,” Aliza urged.

West Boulevard: Visibility, Belonging, and the Next Generation

Tucked along Charlotte’s West Boulevard corridor, Tara and Ronette opened their beauty supply store with a vision to serve — and reflect — their community. But limited foot traffic and visibility made it difficult for their business to gain traction early on.

“People don’t always see us — literally,” they shared. ​“If you’re not driving from uptown, you wouldn’t even know where we are.”

Despite the challenges, they’ve remained rooted in purpose and optimism. As revitalization efforts bring new energy to the area, the sisters are beginning to see more people stop in, more neighbors showing support, and a growing recognition of the business owners shaping their corridor’s future.

“To me, breaking barriers means the next generation won’t see this as something unusual,” Tara said. ​“Having two Black women business owners will be the norm.”

For leaders like Erin Gillespie, Executive Manager of Corridors of Opportunity, that’s exactly the kind of shift the B3 initiative is designed to support, a systems-level change that connects institutional change, funding, and local voices to make lasting impact.

“To really break barriers, you’ve got to take action. It’s not just talk,” she said. ​“That action might be funding, changing policy, or lifting up the stories of business owners. It’s about understanding all the different ways we can support these corridors and showing up in partnership.

Charting What’s Possible in Charlotte, Together

From Sugar Creek to West Boulevard to the Historic West End, each corridor in Charlotte reflects a shared momentum, one built on trust, fueled by partnership, and committed to lasting, people-centered change. The road ahead won’t be without challenge, but in these corridors, the direction is clear. And the future? It’s already unfolding — block by block, story by story.