Westfield Garden State Plaza unveils incubator to support minority entrepreneurs

Westfield Garden State Plaza and the Small Business Development Center at Ramapo College are teaming up to give a boost to emerging brands from minority business owners.

As part of a newly launched incubator, the busy Paramus mall is now home to a retail space where shoppers can support ventures that are African American-owned or owned by Africans of the Diasporas. Besides getting African-made products into the hands of mainstream retail customers, the USAfrica Small Business Program seeks to provide a low-risk/high-support environment with wrap-around services to close the opportunity gap for underserved and minority-owned businesses.

Through the incubator – which was created by nonprofit USAfrica Trade and Business Network Inc. – aspiring entrepreneurs have access to a range of support services, including business readiness assessments, compliance and certification, warehousing, social media and email marketing strategy, retail testing, fixtures and merchandising, retail marketing, branding and design, product management, and procurement and sourcing.

Chris Neidhardt, director of leasing for Westfield Garden State Plaza, said, “By offering USAfrica a special three-month lease versus the longer term leases generally required, we’re raising awareness for minority small business owners while simultaneously offering our clientele the ability to purchase distinctive merchandise not typically available in a mall setting.”

“As a major shopping destination in the tri-state area, Westfield Garden State Plaza is continuously working to alleviate hurdles for local and minority-owned businesses while offering access to unrivaled customer foot traffic,” he said.

Gbenga Omotayo, founder of USAfrica Trade and Business Network, said, “I am thrilled to see the USAfrica kiosk materialize at Westfield Garden State Plaza with hopes that in the future, the initiative will become self-sustaining and one that can support day-to-day operating expenses on its own.”

“We are grateful to Westfield Garden State Plaza and SBDC for their support in helping to elevate and support African and Afrodiasporan MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) and are open to welcoming retail and wholesale buyers of these distinct natural and organic products,” he said.

Omotayo is also founder of advertising, marketing and event production company Pacetas Agency, which is a separate entity from the USAfrica Trade and Business Network, but one of its major funding sources.

Tiffany Ramirez, marketing manager at Westfield Garden State Plaza, said the mall is excited for its customers to explore the many product categories at the USAfrica kiosk, which range from textiles and apparel to beauty products, consumer packaged goods, arts and crafts, and commodities.

She went on to say, “The assortment of products is unique to our current offerings and will delight shoppers with an exciting array of merchandise. In addition, as a small business launchpad, the program offers an opportunity for shoppers to meet crafters and creators first-hand and learn about their passion for success in the business world.”

The kiosk opened April 6 and is located on Level 2, near Macy’s and Sephora.

The USAfrica Small Business Program also marks an expansion of the mall’s small business initiative with SBDC that began last year and is focused on giving small, locally owned businesses – especially minority- and women-owned ones – the opportunity to showcase their goods and services alongside America’s most recognized brands.

Vincent Vicari, regional director of SBDC at Ramapo College, said, “Launching a business in a physical space can be a completely new experience for an emerging brand. By launching the USAfrica incubation program we’re eliminating the traditional barriers to entry typically faced by small business owners such as commercial rents and assorted start-up costs which can be prohibitive.”

“With Westfield Garden State Plaza serving more than 18 million visitors a year, the program offers start-ups an opportunity of a lifetime,” Vicari added.