Black-owned business adds to Raleigh’s economic development

RALEIGH, N.C. — New businesses in North Carolina are bouncing back after taking a dip during the pandemic, according to the North Carolina Secretary of State’s Office. So far this year, the state has added nearly 15,000 new businesses.

Chef Morgan Teianne and her three partners opened a second location of their restaurant, The Flavor Hills, in the heart of Raleigh.

According to the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, The Flavor Hills is one of nearly 40 Black-owned businesses in downtown.

“It was very big for us, and we didn’t realize until after we signed our lease how big it was,” Teianne said.

She said she loves the Fayetteville Street location as much as the original restaurant in Jacksonville. And others feel the same.

“People are loving what we brought to the table, they were excited for us to open,” Teianne said.

She said her father and late grandmother inspire her to sell and perfect Southern cuisine. But she left her hometown of Washington, D.C., to bring her talents to North Carolina.

“I had ownership doing the private chef business, but I didn’t have a team,” she said.

In North Carolina, she caters to all demographics. 

“I really admire how many people enjoy the food,” Teianne said.

She feels other Black-owned businesses should come to downtown Raleigh.

“I love to support other Black businesses,” she said.

With the Jacksonville location open for the last three years and the Raleigh location since January, Teianne said they hope to open another by the end of the year and are considering Charlotte.

“We wanted everyone to be able to come here to eat, laugh and drink,” she said.

It would add to the about 3,000 new business creation filings in Mecklenburg County so far this year.