From BBQ sauce to bath salts: New Kansas City shop showcases Black-owned businesses

Just supporting Black-owned businesses wasn’t enough for Brian Roberts.

He wanted to champion the ones with the highest quality products from across the country and make them easily available to consumers in Kansas City.

He started with Google searches — some listing as many as 200 Black-owned businesses to “support right now.” He would order samples, then place orders for the best products, curating a small inventory for his new business, The Black Pantry.

The Black Pantry started in a pop-up trailer, first setting up on a cold November afternoon at Made Mobb in the Crossroads. In December, he parked the trailer in front of Made in KC Marketplace on the festively decorated Country Club Plaza, as well as Ruby’s Jean Juicery on Troost Avenue and Fetch in the West Bottoms.

Roberts also did pop-ups for Valentine’s Day and plans another in the Crossroads for Mother’s Day.

Now he has The Black Pantry shop on Martini Corner at 325 W. 31st St. It will have a grand opening Saturday.

“It’s along the lines of a general store — staples, cosmetics, daily essentials, soaps, oral hygiene, vitamins, hair products, pancake mixes, popcorn, jams, candles,” Roberts said. “We want to support and advance and do business with Black-owned businesses across the country.”

Customers will find barbecue sauce by Smokey By Nature in Olathe; herbal bath salt from Butter Love by L.C. in St. Louis; candles from Ani + Co in Brooklyn, New York; granola snacks from Oh-Mazing in Washington, D.C.; raw flavored honey from Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm in New York and New Jersey; cocktail mixes from Hella Cocktail Co. in New York; and pancake mixes from Vicky Cakes in Dallas.

The Black Pantry shares the space with Made in KC, which has a similar business model supporting locally made products.

Roberts, who is a manufacturing supervisor at Honeywell, pays rent for his space, stocks the shelves and does upkeep. Made in KC employees ring up sales while he is at his day job.

“The payroll is being taken care of by Made in KC so I can focus on reinvesting my money into my business and grow my business so that I can have a bigger platform to help other businesses,” he said.

Made in KC also plans to open a cafe with drive-thru on the south side of the building in May, as well as Ludo’s Shuffleboard Bar. Made in KC’s headquarters also relocated to the midtown building.