While there are many Black-owned organizations and businesses in Racine to celebrate and support during Black History Month, it is important to recognize that the city does not have the
RACINE — Ahead of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, the U.S. Small Business Administration is encouraging shoppers to support their local communities by shopping and dining at small businesses.
Food, Good Feelings and Community
Off the Cuff with Dragon Pit BBQâs Emerson Holliday
Photo via Facebook / Dragon Pit BBQ
2020 may have been one of the biggest years for discourse surrounding food; from the revelations of insensitive workplace culture to the spread of recipe videos on social media, there was discussion ranging from politics to shared amusement over bad cooking.
In the City of Racine, however, the culinary spirit was ever present and supportive. While events like the annual summer food truck tour were suspended, many restaurants were able to maintain their businesses by offering carry out services and hosting pop up events at The Branch on 1501 Washington Avenue. One of the most popular restaurants to emerge from The Branchâs hosting events is Dragon Pit BBQ. Owner Emerson Holliday started out as a chef before the pandemic and then branched into his own business, selling barbeque and soul food related staples such as catfish and pulled pork sandwiches. H
Collaboration, partnerships key for Racine pop-ups during the pandemic
RACINE, Wis. As businesses try to find their footing out of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of entrepreneurs in Racine are building each other up through collaboration.
Emerson Holliday and Sergio Molina each lost their jobs when the pandemic hit. That’s when they decided to take matters into their own hands.
“I was working at a restaurant that shut down for a month or so, so we just started serving food out of the kitchen [at The Branch],” said Holliday, who is the master chef at Dragonpit BBQ. “Now we’re just all together growing and we’re growing this community kitchen idea while we can.”
Malicki
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been about a half-million transactions combined at the two Piggly Wiggly grocery stores run by Ralph Malicki: at 5201 Washington Ave., Mount Pleasant, and at 2201 E. Rawson Ave., Oak Creek. Thatâs at least a half-million potential coronavirus exposures for Malickiâs staff, which totals about 125 between the two stores.
âTell me what other groups of people have been through that many peopleâ during the pandemic, Malicki said of food service workers compared to those in other occupations.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that grocery store employees be included â along with police officers, firefighters, correctional officers, postal workers and certain other essential workers â in statesâ second phase of COVID-19 vaccinations.