Black Excellence continues re-invigorating Detroit, and Black Banker/ Financial Literacy Coach Portia Powell intends to lead by example by opening a fully Black-Owned Bar “Good Vibes Lounge” on Detroit’s Eastside.
“I feel like when we want to go out and have a good time, we have to go downtown or to the suburbs, we should have a place for us to hang out. in our own neighborhood.” Powell said.
A native Detroiter, Portia, explained her frustration at the lack of financial investment in certain areas of Detroit, leaving certain areas struggling to make a comeback while others are thriving.” I went to King, and I lived in the projects. I’m from here— I just didn’t want to throw anything together and do the bare minimum” The beautifully designed bar took over a year to build and was originally set to open one week before the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“Entrepreneurship does not necessarily mean ownership…” – Portia Powell
Portia estimates that less than 10% of Minority women own a Liquor License in Michigan but hold a high percentage of liquor consumption. “We deserve to have something for us, by us,” said Powell. Stating that there is a large amount of people who are entrepreneurs that do not necessarily own their business and are instead renting spaces. Inspired by her mother, who overcame being labeled a statistic after having Portia at 15, this is Portia’s first brick-and-mortar purchase, having owned only residential real estate in the past. Opening Good Vibes Lounge means more to her than just having a place to hang-out. “My main goal is to help other people achieve the goals that they want to achieve.” The staff of Good Vibes Lounge is all Black and are originally from the area where the bar is located. “One of my employees owned a catering company and now is working directly under our head chef to gain experience to run the restaurant and eventually get her own.”
They are drawing attention to the importance of sharing knowledge and providing opportunities for others to succeed in their journeys to ownership.
The cooks and chefs of Good Vibes Lounge have worked together with Portia to provide a modern spin on traditional bar food. “It’s bar food, but good bar food,” expressed Powell. The menu offers items like Buffalo Cauliflower, Hennessey Wings, and Portia’s personal favorite, “The Lobster Burger” – a fresh take on an American favorite. Cocktails are made with fresh ingredients and crafted by an all-Black bartending Staff. “It’s our music, our food, its truly for us…I wanted it to be a good vibe.”
Good Vibes Lounge located 16801 Harper in Detroit. Hours are Wednesday-Thursday, 3 PM -12 AM and Friday-Saturday, 3 PM-2 AM.
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