Clarissa Winters started her vintage resale shop The Cat’s Closet during the COVID-19 pandemic. But while that posed a struggle, it was one she was willing to tackle for the reward. “During covid, I lost my financial aid in college,” she said. “So I needed a way to pay my tuition so I started selling my own closet and it made a lot of money.” Not only was Clarissa on a mission to push herself through her education, she wanted to change the game when it comes to inclusive fashion. As a Black, plus-size woman Clarissa says she has experienced the inaccessibility when it comes to finding styles that aren’t fast fashion. Cat’s Closet is way to encourage inclusive styling while also not breaking the bank.
Here more about Clarissa’s story and how she got involved with the Bloomington Black Business Market.
Now, Clarissa has since dropped out of college and is working on her business full time. Hers is one of many to be featured in Bloomington’s first Black Business Market. Shatoyia Moss is Bloomington’s Safe and Civil City Director and shares that the event is a way to “highlight organizations, coalitions, Black businesses and make them visible to our community members as well as give them an opportunity to show what they do.”
And that is exactly what they did.
City Hall was filled with jewelry booths, clothing racks and even robots. But while this is a new addition to the community, it is built on a rich history. The event is paying homage to the first Black Market on Kirkwood. This market was firebombed by members of the Ku Klux Klan in 1968. Current Bloomington locals are using the new Black Business Market to show respects for where the community has come from but also where the city is going.
“You know we didn’t get here by accident,” Shatoyia. “The theme of this Black History Month for the city of Bloomington is Black Innovation so really highlighting some of those Black inventions that we use today such as the doorknob, the fire extinguisher, hairbrush, very simplistic things that make every-day-life easier.”
Despite this being the first market of its kind in recent decades, its success tells Hoosiers that it definitely will not be the last.
