INDIANAPOLIS — In a neighborhood where longtime business owners have weathered decades of change, a new grassroots push is working to ensure small businesses and residents not only stay, but thrive.
Director of Small Business for Martindale Brightwood CDC, Chenille Barrett, is taking that mission door-to-door, visiting shops and speaking with owners about what they need to survive.
“While we have education and training, so much learning and growth happens in the context of community,” Barrett said.
“That’s why I love it — just seeing that we are being seen and heard, and knowing the neighborhood needs some extra love and TLC,” Ebony Jacks, with One Plus One Academy said.
The conversations often circle back to some of the same concerns: more playground equipment for children, better access to healthy food and equitable opportunities for all.
“We all deserve the same opportunities,” April Davis with Lulu’s Learning Lab said. “Don’t count someone out because they’re from a certain area. Pour into them because we’re all similar in a lot of aspects.”
One of Barrett’s stops was Michael Moore’s shop, a fixture for more than four decades. Moore, described as a man of few words, stays focused on the basics.
“What we need over here is healthy foods and fresh foods, different types of things to introduce kids to better eating,” Moore said.
A community member noted the importance of stability in the community, pointing to Moore’s business as a rare constant amid a parade of mom-and-pop stores that have come and gone.
For many parents, stability also means safe spaces for children to play — something residents say is lacking. Some parents transport their children to other neighborhoods, though those parks can be less safe.
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