Guest Blog by Chris Lassiter: Past, Present, and Future of Black Business in Staunton

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Born and raised in Staunton, Chris Lassiter is an unofficial ambassador of Visit Staunton. He’s constantly telling everyone in his network to visit his hometown at every opportunity. A storyteller with Staunton Black Business Collective, Chris can be found wherever conversations around helping the community flourish are happening. 

Since I’m guest blogging for Visit Staunton, I’d love to tell you about one of my all-time favorite Staunton visits.

The story starts with my visit to the home of James Becks, the last remaining member of the Staunton Wildcats, the community’s former all-Black traveling baseball team.

Spoiler alert: this post will have little to do with sports.

It’s actually an important story about local Black business past and future.

Despite being in his 90s, it’s a story Becks recounts with great clarity.

“I tell you that we had a lot of Black businesses on North and South Augusta Streets,” he told us. “All the Black businesses and Black houses were there.”

Before we dive any further into that story, we need to make a quick pit stop to explain why I was at his home in the first place.

Good writers would never go on a rabbit trail this early in the post, but there’s an important piece of local Black history here, too.

I visited the Becks home with former City of Staunton vice-mayor Ophie Kier.

The former councilman has been calling me to work since I was a kid. It started when Mr. Kier and a group of his friends – which included my dad – started renovating homes in historically Black communities to make home ownership affordable for community members.

That company was called Achievement One.

Mr. Kier wanted me to help him videotape interviews with the oldest living Black Staunton residents, so that those stories (and the history contained within them) wouldn’t be lost.

The official recorded conversation with Mr. Becks lasted just under 22 minutes.

The interview was fascinating.

Mr. Becks told us stories about Black-owned businesses such as Cook’s Snack Shop, The Salisbury Restaurant, the Venable Hotel and many others. Mr. Becks handed us a roster of Black businesses from Staunton’s Black Chamber of Commerce dating back to 1913.

The list was extensive. 

I felt like I was holding history.

Then he talked about the city’s decision to repurpose Staunton’s Black business district. 

“After all that was torn down, the Black businesses didn’t have anywhere else to go,” Becks said. “They didn’t have any land to build on. The other buildings were occupied. Most of those went to private homes. They had grocery stores in private houses. They had one of those on Baptist Street. There was an insurance agency on Karoline Street. Sometimes insurance agencies had to come from Richmond.”

By the time Becks returned from his military service, he said most of the Black businesses were gone.

Fast forward six decades later.

We’re currently wrapping up Black History Month.

One of the unique parts of the African-American journey is the resiliency of the people. For instance, most people have at least heard of Black Wall Street, and the 1921 Tulsa Massacre of the Greenwood District that destroyed it.

What most people may not know – and what speaks to the Black community’s resiliency – is that after the massacre the Black residents of Tulsa rebuilt Black Wall Street back better.

It’s a vitally important but often untold part of the story.

Here’s where all this ties in to Visit Staunton.

There’s a small group of us working to highlight and grow Black business in the community.

We’re called the Staunton Black Business Collective.

In the 1960s, we did lose buildings and our business district.

However, we did not lose our creativity, ingenuity or entrepreneurial spirits. 

Whether it’s helping someone with an idea learn how to start a business – or supporting those with an income-generating business – the Staunton Black Business Collective is here to help.

We believe that Staunton is at its best when we all flourish together economically.

In the same way that Mr. Becks told me about amazing stories about the local Black-owned businesses from yesteryear, I can tell you about Charles Johnson’s courageous journey to open a car repair shop or what led Simone McElvey to start making natural soaps.

I can tell you how to find a fashionable outfit at Heard The Store, how to purchase  African-themed presents at Gifts of Distinction, and show you the best menu items from Charlotte’s Kitchenette and Latin Soul.

I could point you toward a healthy smoothie option at TreeHouse Juice Bar, suggest to you a scrub from Honey Sweet Face and Body LLC,  or direct you to a dessert from Coushatta’s Creations. 

In fact, we have an entire booklet of stories and we’re adding more.

During Black History Month, we have a special way of highlighting Black businesses.

We’re inviting the whole community – all ages, all races and all ethnicities  – to play a unique game of B-I-N-G-O.

Participating is simple.

Pick up a B-I-N-G-O card at Gifts of Distinction, Charlotte’s Kitchenette, Latin Soul, Heard the Store or Collins Market. Follow the prompts until you have B-I-N-G-O up, down or diagonally.

Turn in the card for the chance to win a prize.

Yep, it’s really that simple.

The goal of the game is to visit some gems in our community that may have been previously unknown to you.

We hope you like our Black History Month-themed twist on visiting Staunton.