Owners Organize To Save Durham’s Small Businesses; Public Forum Planned

Durham, NC –With small businesses struggling to stay afloat, three area entrepreneurs have formed a coalition to advocate for Durham’s minority- and women-owned businesses. Nicole Oxendine of Empower Dance Studio, Leonardo Williams of Zweli’s restaurant, and Ryan Hurley of clothing retailer Vert & Vogue are the founding members of the newly formed Durham Small Business Coalition.

Following the City Council’s work session on Thursday, May 21st, the Coalition had great concerns about the small business COVID relief program that was proposed by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) and the funding approved for it. They, and other small business owners and thought leaders, will recommend improvements to the city’s effort in a public forum on this issue this Friday, May 29th at 11 am. 

“It was starkly clear after OEWD’s presentation last week that a significant framework and hard data was not utilized to develop the proposed loan program or determine the right level of investment in it. How can a relief program be devised without understanding the value of the sector taxpayers are being asked to invest in and its state of crisis?,”  Leonardo Williams, Zweli’s said.

Raleigh and Charlotte had emergency small business relief programs up several weeks ago, as well as Carrboro, which dedicated $500,000 to its effort about two months ago. Carrboro’s annual budget is $58 million, Durham’s is $475 million. If Durham were to make a proportional investment it would be about $10 million.

Instead, the City Council approved $1 million last week. And there was no specific timeline presented to implement the program, aside from ‘hopefully at the start of the new fiscal year,’ from the head of OEWD, Andre Pettigrew. That would be July sometime. With 50% of small businesses having less than 7 days left of cash in the bank, that won’t do.

“Small Durham businesses are working tirelessly to keep afloat, especially black and brown women and minority owners. It has become glaringly obvious that small businesses lack a strong voice in our city government. Entrepreneurship and business creation is the legacy of Durham, and the fabric of our city and its renaissance today. We cannot let our independent businesses die,” Nicole Oxendine, owner of Empower Dance Studio, stated.

Meanwhile, when asked a few weeks ago what Durham County’s plans were on small business recovery, County Manager Wendell Davis said the county had no plans. On a Town Hall call a week later, County Commissioner Wendy Jacobs said the county focuses its economic development efforts on RTP and Treyburn, not small businesses.

Wake County has committed $5 million to recovery for its small businesses. Orange County had a program up nearly two months ago. Before finalizing its 20/21 budget, our County Commissioners must approve significant funding for Durham’s small business recovery effort, in partnership with the city.

“The Mayor and city leaders and managers have performed heroically to keep our community safe during this unprecedented crisis. We are very encouraged by conversations we have had with the Mayor and some City Council members since last week’s work session. But we must have a broader public dialogue on small business recovery and relief to ensure we get on track and get it right. Time is of the essence,” Ryan Hurley, Vert & Vogue, expressed.

With the Mayor and City Council’s support and participation, the Durham Small Business Coalition is helping produce the public forum on this topic Friday, May 29, 11 am – 12 pm. County Commissioners and Durham’s City/County Recovery & Re-opening Task Force are asked to attend. CEO of Forward Cities, Christopher Gergen, a national thought leader on small business recovery will moderate.  For more information, please contact Leonardo Williams at leonardo@zwelis.com  or 919-806-9759. 

The Public Forum on Small Business Recovery will be live-streamed on the City of Durham’s YouTube page. 

Webinar link | Password: 141993 | Webinar ID: 936 5695 0330