CLEVELAND — If you’re looking for something fun to do this weekend, 19 women-owned businesses in Gordon Square encourage you to participate in their "Shop the Square" event.
You buy a card for $5 and get discounts, and then the proceeds will benefit one special organization.
“I’m extremely humbled and honored just to be able to receive the support,” said PEARLS Executive Director and Founder Brittney Smith.
Back in 2020, Brittney Smith founded PEARLS, which stands for “Positively Empowering and Restoring Ladies Self-Esteem.”
She says the mission is to create safe spaces for girls of color in the inner city of Cleveland through various mentoring services and this free community closet.
“We wanted to use this platform to kind of create a physical space for girls to come in and get their essentials at no cost,” said Smith.
Because Smith does not charge anything for these clothes, shoes and hygiene products, she says it’s up to her to provide.
“The clothing piece is not a hard task because we just put a call out to the community to get the clothes. But the hygiene, it goes so fast,” said Smith.
Thankfully, not all heroes wear capes, and people like Molly Allen are flying to her rescue.
“PEARLS Girls for one thing does an amazing thing for the neighborhood, for girls all over Cleveland, so it was important,” said Ready Set! Coffee Roasters President Molly Allen.
Allen is one of the 19 women-owned business owners in this community-wide event to benefit PEARLS Girls’ Community Closet.
“It just was a really fun networking, community thing for all of us to get together and talk about,” Allen said.
Allen and Lake Erie Scoops Owner Jennifer Taggart also say this is a chance for businesses in Gordon Square to come together.
“We just wanted to build community. We wanted to get together first of all, meet with one another, collaborate and what better way than the beginning of February to come out,” said Lake Erie Scoops Owner Jennifer Taggart.
Both women say they’ll offer 10% off all weekend at their businesses.
There’s also a chance for you to win a gift card at select stores.
“I just have to say thanks you so much to all of the wonderful women owned businesses in the Gordon Square community,” said Smith.
You can shop at any of those 19 businesses until this Sunday.
If you would like to support 216 Fly PEARLS, CLICK HERE.
