Twenty vendors brought their businesses to the Yeadon Public Library as part of the Black Saturday Extravaganza in Yeadon’s version of Small Business Saturday.

Since 2014 with a short break during the pandemic, the Yeadon Public Library and the Friends of the Yeadon Public Library have celebrated the Black Saturday Extravaganza featuring Black entrepreneurs and vendors as a way to raise funds for the library.

Denise Stinson, president of the Friends of the Yeadon Public Library, said signs were posted on utility poles in town, word was sent out via email chains, there was a livestream and they had marketing support from the Yeadon Economic Development Corp. and the borough.

“It’s Small Business Saturday and we do this as well to support our African-American vendors,” she said, noting that all vendors were welcome as there was a mix of offerings to be had.

For attendants, Stinson said she wanted them to know they were helping the library by being there.

“This is supporting our library,” she said. “This is what this is about. It’s fundraising for our library. If we don’t watch, we won’t have a library.”

She also hoped vendors enjoyed it so that they return.

“I want them to do well so they want to come back next year because they know they did good this year,” Stinson said.

Tying it together

One of those vendors was Clifton C. Kinchen, founder of Pockets by Design,  with a goal to help people look good.

Kinchen participated in the extravaganza because Yeadon’s his hometown.

“I grew up in Yeadon,” he said. “I went to Penn Wood High School, Penn Wood East (Junior High School), Evans Elementary School and I didn’t want to leave Yeadon. Yeadon is the best place for me.”

Although the West Chester University alum now lives in Sharon Hill, he appreciated the time to come back.

While he works at the IRS, he set up his tie business as a way to use his art degree and as something he’ll focus full-time when he retires in approximately 15 years.

“When I get out of the IRS, this is what I’m going to be doing,” Kinchen said. “I can’t wait.”

About 10 years ago, he was looking at paintings he created in college and decided he wanted to do something with them.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I basically took a picture of the painting and dropped it into a computer program called Adobe Illustrator,” Kinchen said. “That was it from there.”

Some are amalgamations of ties that he owns that he puts together in a patchwork pattern.

On a mission

Nearby, Venita Dixon set up a table to sell baskets, wooly socks, amaryllis plants, Monopoly games, hats that light up, crackling candles and other wares so she and others can travel to India in March to help build a school with Compassion of Christ World Mission, a group that’s started schools in Africa and Haiti.

“I’m here selling my gift baskets and toys and gifts for a mission trip to India,” she said. “They want to start a school … . In some of the areas of India are so poor, it’s really poor. They don’t have good education so they need education in order to prosper and to come out of their poverty.”

Dixon said she’s been working to raise funds for her trip for the last couple of months.

Entrepreneurs Ronald Young Jr. and his wife, Pamela Lancaster, brought both of their businesses to the event.

“We have handmade crafted crochet blankets by Pamela,” Young said. “She got the Phillies, she got the Eagles. And, she does take orders.”

He said his wife has been crocheting since she was 12 years old.

“For a king size blanket, it only takes her three days,” Young said. “She’s fast with it.”

He also had his own business there of his Real Brand Clothing line, Fashion Factory & More, Ink.

He explained that he saw the extravaganza and wanted to participate as he frequents many other local events such as those in Upper Darby, the Atlantic City Fashion Week and even Saturday night, he was headed to a free bingo in Darby.

Among his items were Eagles hoodies and sweatsuits, hats, as well as pocketbooks and other clothing.

Young said he wished all of his customers two things: “The comfort and the peace.”

Originally Published: November 30, 2024 at 4:05 PM EST