Concerned with the health of her Black and brown neighbors in Paterson, Shana Manradge decided to create an online supermarket called A Better Market. There, Mandrage has sold food and produce sourced from local farms and small businesses at an affordable price.
“During COVID, I was home hosting children. And then I went to the store to get cereal. And the cereal was $9.54,” Manradge said. “So I was driving around; there was no other store that had quality box of cereal at a reasonable price.”
But the Paterson health department this week ordered Manradge to shut down her business, citing a lack of proper licensure to sell out of her home. Manradge thinks the decision is unfair since an ordinance for online businesses doesn’t exist. “As stressful as it can be at times, this is what I was supposed to do,” she said. “I love the fact that I have such a support from my community. My customers are amazing. I love them with everything. And they just come and they know that they’re going to get the best from me.”
Until the issue is resolved, Mandrage can sell her products at pop-up shops around the city. Meanwhile, she is raising money for a brick-and-mortar storefront.
Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America is a multiplatform public media initiative that provides a deeper understanding of the impact of poverty on American society. Major funding for this initiative is provided by the JPB Foundation. Additional funding is provided by Ford Foundation.
