National Harbor Celebrates Black History Month

NEWS Vicki Bendure
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bendure Communications, Inc.
202-374-9259
Vicki@bendurepr.com

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., Feb. 13, 2024—National Harbor has long been a location for Black entrepreneurs and top retailers to locate their businesses. The 350-acre waterfront property has become a popular destination for visitors as well as locals. With eight hotels, 40 restaurants, 40 boutique shops, 2700 residences and more than 15.2 million annual visitors, it’s the perfect location for the many unique concepts that have been thriving there.

As a great location that attracts unique entrepreneurs, National Harbor has become home to more than a dozen Black-owned restaurants, retail shops, and entertainment options—all with an amazing story. Some of these successful shops in National Harbor’s Waterfront District include BrookieGirl, opened by a veteran couple who found the solution to alleviating their daughter’s chronic skin allergies was through creating their own natural bath and body products; ZAAF, a collection of beautiful leather and woven goods and clothing from Ethiopia and other African countries, founded by Abai Schulze whose life journey began in an orphanage in Ethopia and led to a successful career in the U.S. Almost three years ago, a couple opened MahoganyBooks at National Harbor with the idea to sell books for, by or about the African diaspora. A luxury wine bar and wine boutique V-No is owned and operated by Shaina Taylor, one of the few African-American women sommeliers. The Furlough Cheesecake founded by two sisters who initially made cheesecakes out of their home during a government shutdown and realized they had a booming business have just relocated to Tanger National Harbor. Sip & Develop, a photography learning lab and studio that includes beverages and film development recently opened by Rashon Robinson, a military veteran.

“We are delighted that National Harbor has become a haven for entrepreneurs and their successful retail, entertainment, and restaurant concepts,” said Jackie Saunders, AVP of Marketing at National Harbor. “These unique businesses add culturally immersive experiences to shopping and dining at National Harbor.”

National Harbor also celebrates renowned artists with their artwork throughout the property and in MGM National Harbor. Some of these include African American artists Sam Gilliam, Martha Jackson Jarvis and Cheryl Foster. In addition, lifelike statues of Frederick Douglass and Louis Armstrong are part of National Harbor’s popular outdoor art walk. There’s a free outdoor art walk that showcases the history and the artists through a guided cell phone tour. Douglass, was born in Maryland and his statue at National Harbor is a part of Maryland’s Frederick Douglass Driving Tour.

National Harbor partners with nearby George Washington’s Mount Vernon and offers tours that tell the story of those enslaved and what it was like to live and work on these properties. “The Enslaved People of Mount Vernon,” is a special tour offered at the property. Tributes at the estate’s slave memorial are also held daily.

For more info on National Harbor, visit www.NationalHarbor.com.


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About National Harbor


Situated on the banks of the historic Potomac River and just minutes from the nation’s capital, National Harbor is a waterfront resort destination unlike any other. National Harbor is home to two of Maryland’s Four Diamond rated hotels—Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, the East Coast’s largest non-gaming hotel and convention center and has almost 2,000 hotel rooms and 660,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and MGM National Harbor, an integrated luxury casino resort with renowned chef-driven restaurants, a 3,000-seat state-of-the art theater and one of the largest gaming floors outside of Las Vegas. The vibrant Waterfront District features boutique shops, restaurants and entertainment options along picturesque promenades. The iconic Capital Wheel, a 180-ft observation wheel, Tanger Outlets’ 85 designer brands, and a robust calendar of events round out this destination that welcomes more than 15.2 million visitors a year. For more information, visit www.NationalHarbor.com.