The Colab in Monroeville Mall aims to elevate, feature Black entrepreneurs, small businesses

A Facebook post brought two Penn Hills entrepreneurs together to open a store in the Monroeville Mall that will help fellow entrepreneurs achieve their dreams.

Donald Davis sent out a message in a Facebook group asking if anyone did pop-up shops. The 30-year-old received many responses before reaching out to 22-year-old Alyse Fowlks. Fowlks had experience in holding several pop-ups in the area, including in her dad’s barbershop in Monroeville.

The collaboration was a perfect fit, as Fowlks had plans to open her own store and Davis wanted to provide an opportunity for local entrepreneurs to work together in a permanent setting.

”He had the mental capacity for running a business, while I had the tools – so we were ready to do it,” Fowlks said.

Determined to bring their dreams into reality, the pair opened the store in less than three months, birthing “The Colab” in November in the former Christopher Banks storefront. The marketplace store features diverse vendors ranging from candles, CBD oils, vintage clothes, thrifting, art, boutiques, bath bombs and more. More than 20 vendors are on display throughout the shop.

In addition to products, Fowlks said they seek out resources to help provide vendors with business advice and knowledge. They plan to provide workshops to further educate and help vendors with topics, such as mental health and business professionalism.

“A lot of people have great business ideas, but they don’t know the ethics,” she said.

Fowlks said the store has a focus on Black businesses, but anyone is welcome to become a vendor in the store. Vendors do not have to be local. Vendors from outside of the state or country can apply to join.

“We are open to everybody. It is focused on Black people because we don’t have visibility,” she said.

Tiffany Hicks, owner of Kera Kouture, sells handmade crochet and jewelry. The Pitcairn resident sells hats, handbags, masks, necklaces and bracelets. She has been vending and has owned her business for two years. She has been a vendor at The Colab since December.

“It’s a teamwork. We are all learning from each other and giving tips and tricks to help us get better,” Hicks said.

As the store continues to grow, Davis and Fowlks would like to hire interns from high school or college to learn how to run a business. Vendors in the store could also use help with marketing if any photographers, digital marketers or branding experts are interested, Davis said. The store is still open to having more vendors.

“We don’t want to shut out anyone’s dreams,” Davis said.