*E-scooter rental giant Lime partnered with a white-owned business for Black History Month and now says that was actually a mistake.
The company launched an initiative recently offering discount codes to riders who visit Black-owned businesses. The goal was to “drive more traffic to Black-owned, sustainable small businesses.”
“We’re giving riders discount incentives to visit these incredible organizations, building community and supporting black-owned businesses, all while boosting the local economy,” Phil Jones, the company’s senior director of government relations and chair of Lime’s Black employee resource group, said in a statement cited by the Bronx Times. “We invite everyone to celebrate this important month with us by supporting local black-owned businesses.”
BXTimes.com reports that Lime ended up partnering with Way Cafe in the Bronx, New York. The owner of the eatery is a white man named Andy Weaver.
E-Scooter Company Lime Mistakenly Partners With White-Owned Business For Black History Month https://t.co/VqZka2TFEk pic.twitter.com/WnVt4dqmIQ
— WBMN Groovin’ 24/7 (@RadioBlackOn) February 17, 2023
Weaver told BXTimes.com that he was approached by Lime to sign up to participate in the program but was never asked if Way Cafe is a Black-owned business. Weaver even provided a photo of himself when Lime asked for a picture of the cafe’s owner.
“I figured they are going to throw our form in the trash can,” Weaver said. Lime did the opposite and selected his business as one of several partners for its Black History Month program.
In response to alleged outrage over the “mistake,” company spokesperson Jacob Tugendrajch told BXTimes.com that “a business signed up for this opportunity erroneously, which we fixed as soon as we were alerted to the issue.”
We’re on a mission to shine light on Black-owned small businesses. All month long, start a trip at any of our incredible partners and you’ll earn 25% off ride. See the full list of businesses we partnered up with and start planning your trips: https://t.co/jBNcYYyf2Q pic.twitter.com/itUNhmHo61
— Lime (@limebike) February 8, 2023
Tugendrajch said the e-scooter brand “will continue to promote Black-owned businesses and look for ways to support the Bronx.”
Meanwhile, as Black Enterprise reports, Way Cafe customers are said to be quite diverse.
“I frequent there myself,” said Democratic city council member Amanda Farías. “And so they are in a Black and Latinx community where they’re serving our families every day. They’re in the community with us.”
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