By Elaine Schroth, CEO Visit Concord – One of the best things about Concord is our wonderfully diverse community. Our welcoming and accepting spirit attracts people from different backgrounds and we all benefit from the variety of cultures, flavors and perspectives that surrounds us every day. While Concord boasts a variety culturally diverse businesses and ownership, I’d like to spotlight a few of our talented and hard-working black entrepreneurs and the restaurants, bars and shops that serve our community. Pay a visit to any one of these spots and who knows, you may discover a favorite new hangout, as well as some new friends. These businesses are all currently open for patio dining and/or takeout.
Concord Tap House offers an impressive selection of rotating craft beer taps, wine and pub food. The Concord Tap House is a popular gathering spot for locals every day of the week. Owner and operator, Keith Burks, bears a long list of credentials that includes business developer, consultant, and even pro sports team caterer, but he still loves the daily interaction with his loyal customer base at the Tap House. Always among the first to step up and help the community, Burks has hosted several cookout events, providing free meals to the city’s first responders and essential workers during the pandemic.
Concord Tap House: 3513 Clayton Rd., Concord. www.concordtaphouse.com
Mt. Froyo, 3525 Clayton Rd. in Concord is a new ice cream and frozen yogurt shop that offers a rotating menu of delicious frozen yogurt flavors that customers can enjoy plain or piled high with a variety of sweet treat toppings. You’ll find owner Myles Burks on site daily, working to serve customers and build his business from the ground up. With their neighboring businesses, family members Myles and Keith Burks share a love for Concord, community, and making customers happy.
Pure Juice & Smoothie Lounge mission is to bring “mindful nutrition” to the Concord community. Jamel Major and Dr. Derrell Blackburn teamed up to create the Pure Juice & Smoothie Lounge. The partners share the belief that peace, health and happiness starts from within, and that regardless of how busy life can get, there should always be a nutritious option nearby. The Lounge offers deliciously healthful smoothies, shakes, blended juices, vegetarian wraps and more.
You’ll find Pure Juice and Smoothie Lounge at 3375 Port Chicago Hwy #30 in Concord and Online at https://www.purejuiceandsmoothie.com/.
The Lettuce Inn, 2115 Pacheco St. Concord, was founded by Karen Bell with the aim of inspiring people to work healthy meals into their day with fresh, homemade, plant-based soups, salads and sandwich wraps. Menu items include options for all dietary needs including gluten, nut and dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, raw vegan, paleo and more.
The Lettuce Inn also happened to be one of the first restaurants Jamel Major visited when he moved to the Bay Area. He became such a fan that he and Karen Bell have since teamed up to expand the small but popular business. http://thelettuceinn.com/
Big Country Kitchen is a must stop for those who yearn for home-cooked, Southern comfort food. Owner Banji DeLancy says her team is passionate about food and uses only the freshest ingredients to create customer favorites such as catfish with sweet potato fries, chicken & waffles, shrimp and grits and fried pecan pie. Big Country Kitchen was featured earlier this year on KQED’s Bay Area Check Please! to rave reviews. Located at 3399 Clayton Rd., Concord. https://bigcountrykitchenllc.com/
Visit Concord is working to gather and promote a more comprehensive list of Black-owned businesses in our community. If you have information that can help us, please email info@visitconcordca.com
Owner Keith burks and partners of Concord Tap House