Black-owned businesses unite to revitalize Howard Street in downtown Baltimore

Along the 400 block of N. Howard Street are several black-owned businesses working to make a difference in the Bromo Arts District 

"When the big box stores moved out it was the black businesses that moved in to keep this neighborhood alive," Dwight Campbell, co-founder and executive chef of Cajou Creamery, said.

Cajou Creamery, Vegan Juiceology, Cuples Tea House and Vinyl & Pages are revitalizing the community, nurturing the mind body and soul. 

"We didn't plan this this was Vegan Juiceology, couples and Cajou and it just blossomed into Healthy Howard row," Vegan Juiceology owner Dominique Allen said. 

The corridor has been coined the name Healthy Howard row, as its businesses are catering to the health and wellness of the community. 

 "To be able to have the resources to open a brick and mortar and to be an access point to people in the community, that is one of my greatest achievements," Allen said. 

Their mantra is food is medicine, "a lot of our juices have vitamin C, K, just the basic vitamins that we need to survive," said Allen.

Cajou Creamery serves healthy alternatives to an all-time favorite, "it is a raw cashew-based ice cream we have no soy no dairy no gluten no artificial ingredients of any kind everything we do has some type of nutrient value to the body and mind to give you some joy," said Campbell. 

Vinyl & Pages features music and books, and its sister store focuses on tea food. 

"We do soups and salads but mostly people are coming for a vibe we have music conversations going we like when people come in it feels like home," said Lynnette Dotson, co-owner Cuples Tea House and Vinyl & Pages.

 North Howard Street is continuing to expand, a black-owned women's wellness lounge is set to open early next month.