HBCU pride on display at new Union Station concept store 

By D. Kevin McNeir
Special the The AFRO 

On May 9, thousands of people gathered on The Yard at “the Mecca” – Howard University – to honor the 2026 graduating class during the 158th Commencement Convocation at the Washington, D.C. campus.

Meanwhile, just a few miles away in D.C.’s Union Station, another “HU” graduate – that is, Hampton University – chose to do some shopping, along with her twin daughters, at a new HBCU-themed business, The HBCU News Store.

From T-shirts and jackets, to Greek organization paraphernalia, books, other mementos and keepsakes, this store – owned, operated and conceptualized by Black entrepreneur Sandra Long – has it all. 

At least, that’s what the store manager, James Perry, told the AFRO. He said when COVID-19 hit, Long, who lives between Washington, D.C. and Nashville, Tenn., took a gamble to expand her business, bringing new restaurants and retail opportunities to various cities throughout the U.S., including D.C. 

“The HBCU News Store represents the first concept store in the region dedicated to the culture and legacy that are part of the historic rise of HBCUs in the United States,” Perry said. “We’ve only been open about three weeks, but business has been moving along extremely well. And as the only Black-owned business located in Union Station, we’re particularly proud to have a wide variety of goods that we offer for those who support, defend and, in some cases, have graduated from an HBCU.”

The store officially opened on April 16 – intentionally aligning with D.C.’s Emancipation Day, which marks the abolition of slavery in the nation’s capital. 

As Long said to the media during the grand opening, it’s more than a retail space, “this is a cultural destination celebrating the impact of HBCUs where education, community and opportunity come together.” 

However, as she told The AFRO, getting her store up and running took a lot of hard work.

“It took me about two years to convince the management at Union Station, but I finally convinced them that our concept had staying power,” Long said. “They needed to understand who’s coming through this iconic building on trains everyday. Still, I did not sign my lease until they gave me the corner lot where we are now located. We needed the right space so people would notice us – and we got it.”

Long confirmed the comments of her store manager, adding, “from the moment we opened our doors, we’ve been running ever since.” 

“We can’t keep up with the flow of customers, especially on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, when it’s more like a party – like a family reunion,” Long said. “We’ve had customers who represent three or even four generations of HBCU graduates from the same universities. When they enter the store, their faces light up – it’s like they’ve gone back down memory lane. I simply insist that my employees treat people not as customers but more like they’re members of the family.” 

Store offers something for everyone

Meanwhile, as a soundtrack of old school classics, from The Sounds of Philadelphia to Motown, played softly in the background, Hampton University graduate Reeva Young, 49, did some early Mother’s Day shopping on May 9, along with her twin daughters, Alyssa and Aliyah, 13.

“I loved my years of study at my home by the sea in Hampton, Va., and I wanted to help my daughters better understand what I received because I attended an HBCU,” Young said. “It’s a part of me that I’ll never forget. And like other HBCUs, Hampton was and still is a place where family, unity, love, and respect for others are part of the fabric of the university.” 

Alyssa said she hopes to study veterinary medicine or real estate and follow in her mother’s footsteps at Hampton. As for Aliya, while she, too, is interested in real estate, she admitted that she’s not sold on Hampton yet. But she does want to become an AKA. 

Long, who comes from a family of that Black activists, HBCU graduates, a former baseball player, and the founder of a community-based newspaper, The Elite News, in Dallas, Tx., said she prefers to remain in the background. But for one of her employees, a recent transplant from Philadelphia, Pa. stated, Long has served as the mentor she always hoped to find.   

“I’ve been working with Sandra for almost four years now and started in one of her other companies as a sales associate,” said Adelia DaSilva, 24, who recently graduated with a degree in marketing and business from Neumann University, a private Catholic university located in Aston, Pa.

“She brought me in and I’ve grown under her guidance, moving to supervisor, manager, and now as a member of the leadership team where I oversee store operations,” DaSilva said. “I’ve learned that an entrepreneur must have the ability to come up with fresh concepts and is never afraid to go for it. If the area in which you’re located demands it, and you can supply that demand, you’ve got a winning concept.”

Meanwhile, as a soundtrack of old school classics, from The Sounds of Philadelphia to Motown, played softly in the background, Hampton University graduate Reeva Young, 49, did some early Mother’s Day shopping on May 9, along with her twin daughters, Alyssa and Aliyah, 13.

“I loved my years of study at my home by the sea in Hampton, Va., and I wanted to help my daughters better understand what I received because I attended an HBCU,” Young said. “It’s a part of me that I’ll never forget. And like other HBCUs, Hampton was and still is a place where family, unity, love, and respect for others are part of the fabric of the university.” 

Alyssa said she hopes to study veterinary medicine or real estate and follow in her mother’s footsteps at Hampton. As for Aliya, while she, too, is interested in real estate, she admitted that she’s not sold on Hampton yet. But she does want to become an AKA. 

DaSilva said she continues to marvel at how excited first-time customers become upon entering the store. 

“One woman stopped in and said she wanted to find something that would represent her HBCU, but she doubted she would find anything because of the size of the institution,” DaSilva said. “So, when I handed her several items from her alma mater, Bennett College, she began to jump for joy and take videos. That’s what I like about this store – there’s something for everyone.” 

Native Washingtonian Destiny Cooper, 19, said she, too, has learned a lot since being hired as a sales associate at The HBCU News Store. 

“African Americans don’t have much in society that represents the best of who we are – this store does just that,” Cooper said. “When I see customers enter our doors, they all seem to be excited to be in a Black-owned business where the truth is on display. And when I see their response, I get excited over and over again.” 

The post HBCU pride on display at new Union Station concept store  appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.