Three Minority Business Owners Investing In Charlotte’s Historic West End Community
CHARLOTTE – Have you noticed? Big changes are in the air in one of Charlotte’s oldest African American communities. A multi-million dollar revitalization project is underway in the historic West End neighborhood. The city’s goal is to create opportunities where people who live there, can work and spend their money right in their own back yard.
Three minority business owners will soon become neighbors in West End’s Five Points Center on Rozzelles Ferry Road. Justin Powell and his wife Melanie are opening a new Rita’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard Shoppe.
“This is our second location. Our first location is in Ft. Mill. We’re excited to have that location, the town really rallied behind us during the pandemic, but this is kind of a homecoming for us,” says Business owner Justin Powell.
Todd Martinez, the owner of Jet’s Pizza, is opening his new restaurant right next door to Powell’s shoppe.
“Yeah, I think it’s pretty cool. It will be good to have a little bit of diversity here right,” says business owner Todd Martinez. He already owns Jet’s Pizza Parlors in Huntersville and Mooresville. This will be his first Charlotte location.
And, very soon people in West End will get their very own hometown pharmacy. Dr. Martez Prince’s Premier Pharmacy and Wellness Center is now opening a second location in West End. Right now, he’s serving customers at his Monroe Road location.
“Right now there is no pharmacy right there in the area, and one of the biggest things that we’re looking forward to is we are the official pharmacy for Johnson C. Smith University,” says Prince.
Jet’s Pizza will open in the next week or so, Rita’s Italian Ice is expected to open around May 7. Premier Pharmacy plans to open its doors in June.
