Black-owned businesses are a meaningful part of the country’s employer economy, and retail is one of the sectors where culture, taste, and everyday buying decisions meet. This page keeps the underlying figures easy to check, quote, and share.
Black-owned employer firms, all sectors
Black-owned employer firms
Across all U.S. business sectors, these firms had paid employees in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023Employees at Black-owned employer firms
The Annual Business Survey counted 1,864,727 employees across all sectors in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023Revenue at Black-owned employer firms
These firms reported $248,965,552,000 in sales, value of shipments, or revenue in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023Annual payroll
Black-owned employer firms reported $69,846,719,000 in annual payroll for 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023Black-owned retail employer firms
Black-owned retail employer firms
Retail trade accounted for 12,544 Black-owned employer firms in the United States in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023Employees at Black-owned retail firms
Black-owned retail employer firms supported 80,468 employees in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023Retail revenue
Black-owned retail employer firms reported $34,335,017,000 in sales, value of shipments, or revenue in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023Female-owned Black retail employer firms
Within Black-owned retail, 3,758 employer firms were female-owned in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023How to read these figures
These statistics describe employer firms, meaning businesses with paid employees. They do not represent every self-employed or nonemployer business, so they are a focused view of the employer-business landscape rather than a count of every Black-owned venture.
The Census Bureau’s retail trade category covers businesses classified in retail trade. It is broader than gifts and accessories alone, which is why this page labels the category plainly and does not treat it as a measure of any one product type.
Sources and methodology
All eight figures on this page come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 Annual Business Survey table for employer firms by industry, sex, ethnicity, race, and veteran status. The table reports national estimates for 2023. Revenue and payroll values are reported by the Census Bureau in thousands of dollars and are shown here in rounded billions where noted.
The Census Bureau released this reference-year 2023 data on November 20, 2025. Last checked October 19, 2026, when it remained the latest comparable release for these figures. This page will be refreshed when a newer comparable Census release is available.
CreationsByAkua. “Black-Owned Retail Business Statistics.” Updated October 19, 2026. Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Annual Business Survey.
Looking for Afrocentric gifts and accessories that bring culture and personality to everyday moments? Browse the CreationsByAkua collection.