Couple Officially Opens First Ever Black-Owned Shopping Plaza in Fayetteville, Georgia

Winchel and Felicia Elibert, an African American couple from Fayetteville, Georgia have made history by opening the city’s first Black-owned shopping plaza, Kingdom Corners. Just three months after its grand opening, all of its commercial spaces are fully leased.  The couple, who own two of the businesses in the plaza, celebrated the opening of Kingdom Corners in November. They had been running businesses like Cleansing Waters Med Spa and Smoothie King for over a decade before deciding to build the shopping center. They purchased the land in 2020, right before the pandemic hit, and have since turned it into a thriving community hub.

Kingdom Corners features several businesses, including Cleansing Waters Med Spa, Fridas Mexican Grill and Bar, Tanzer Nail Bar, and Smoothie King. Additional businesses like Salata Salad Kitchen, Southern Fire Kitchen, and Doughboy Pizza are set to open soon.

The couple’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. Winchel, a child of Haitian immigrants, and Felicia, a registered nurse from LaGrange, faced difficulties securing funding and battling lending discrimination. Despite setbacks from banks and rising construction costs, they pressed on, determined to make their dream a reality.

“I want the next generation to see you can do it… just don’t give up,” Felicia told Fox 5 Atlanta. “You’re not really thinking about what this could mean to your community, but that’s what happened and now it’s really important for us to understand that and grasp onto that and know that we are on a platform where we’re able to uplift and inspire.”