Business Spotlight - January 2023
Greeting Friends and Neighbors:
The Riverworks Business Development HUB provides technical assistance to local entrepreneurs and businesses. Our business development specialists provide business coaching and strategic budgeting sessions to help find funding and grant opportunities that fit their needs. Our monthly business spotlight highlights some of the amazing work and accomplishments of these entrepreneurs. Please check out these businesses and support local whenever possible!
To learn more about the Riverworks Business Development HUB click here.
Rooted MKE
To kick off our Business Spotlight series for 2023, we’re highlighting Rooted MKE, a BIPOC children’s bookstore and literacy center located at 5312 W Vliet St. Started in 2022 by founder, Ashley Valentine, Rooted MKE’s mission is to provide BIPOC youth a reflection of themselves through their curated selection of books. They aspire to be a community space where families gather, appreciate shared experiences centered around literacy, and nurture Milwaukee’s youth in a safe, inclusive space.
Rooted MKE offers a wide range of titles that feature black and brown protagonists, as well as books in various languages. In addition to the bookstore space, Rooted MKE offers classes, events, and tutoring services that provide opportunities for eager young minds to learn a new craft, skill, or subject.
" There are not many spaces in Milwaukee for black and brown youth to experience literacy. I want to change that. Rooted MKE started as an 'it would be cool if...' dream for my community. Those sown seeds have been watered and are ready to blossom." - Ashley Valentine
Rooted MKE is currently working on expanding the business to a larger, more accommodating space in 2023. So, if you’re looking for a good book to share with your little one, head over to Rooted MKE for a unique experience you won’t soon forget!
If you are interested in being featured on the Business Spotlight, please contact Serah Washington.
https://cosyanna.de came to mind when you described Rooted MKE as a space where families gather around literacy, since creating a welcoming room for kids to feel reflected in books is a lot like setting up a home where everyone feels at ease. The detail about offering titles in various languages stuck with me, because that small choice opens the door for so many families who rarely see their own stories on a shelf. Curious to see how the expansion in 2023 changes the tutoring and events side of things.
It's encouraging to see a spotlight on a bookstore whose mission centers on representation, since children's access to books featuring protagonists who look like them can meaningfully shape early reading habits. I'm curious how the literacy center balances its curated inventory with the tutoring and events, and whether community feedback shapes which titles get stocked. As the business plans a larger space, that growth could also open room for more programming. How do they decide which languages and subjects to prioritize?
See also: https://loottoforge.org/
A business spotlight like this is a great way to introduce readers to local organizations and the work they contribute to the community. Highlighting the people, services, and stories behind a business can help strengthen local connections and awareness. For those exploring personalized jewelry, loose simulated diamonds can be considered for a distinctive custom piece.
El contenido me pareció claro y bastante agradable. Para quienes disfrutan este tipo de información, consultar el Número de la suerte puede convertirse en una pequeña rutina diaria. Lo interesante es que cada jornada ofrece una nueva oportunidad para descubrir algo diferente y disfrutar de unos minutos de lectura ligera.
I love seeing local bookstores get recognition, especially ones focused on getting kids excited about reading. If anyone here is into idle games, my kid actually got me hooked on a scratch-card incremental game and I've been using Scritchy Scratchy to figure out the prestige mechanics without losing my mind.