With xmas fast arriving and gift ideas plaguing us all, it’s easy to run to the nearest mega-corp box store and buy a bunch of crap that no one wants.

But we need to work on keeping our money black this holiday, all holidays and every damn day! Keeping money in the black economy does more than just keep a few people off the poverty line, it empowers community, takes away from the mega corps and builds up inspiration for many. They also say that you vote wth your dollar and that’s another way why the $507 billion per year spent by black people in America should be kept in the black community.

Back to the gifts! Hand crafted, artisan products are always a joy to receive. Knowing someone worked hard on a personal product makes you all warm and fuzzy! There are many many black artisans and now a new black-owned marketplace is hand picking some of the best to create a space for you to purchase their goods online.

Archer and Pine just launched this cyber monday. Co-founders Morgan R. Gantt and Marc Clarke say they were inspired by Black Wall Street and wanted to create a new black marketplace.

This time, it’s digital.

Marc Clarke talked of the vision saying:

“Over the last 25 years, I have observed entrepreneurs struggle to obtain efficient exposure for their businesses. In the case of e-commerce, most black-owned small businesses lack the capital or resources to build and maintain a fully functioning online presence,… Archer & Pine provides not only the marketplace but the appropriate environment that promotes storytelling and creativity.”

They hand pick artisans to sell on their platform and provide a profit share model. Just a few of their picks include:

Jams by Kim (Hillsborough, NJ) – artisanal handmade gluten-free Jams made from three generations of recipes with more that 45 flavors of Jams created with the best in season fruits.

Pittmans Popcorn (Springfield, IL) – with a devoted following and retail store front location which offering more than 70 flavors of artisanal popcorn.

Bino and Fino (Abuja, Nigeria) – children’s educational programming and learning tools based on the indigenous cultures and people of Africa.

Doggie Diva by Cindy (Baltimore, MD) – all natural and alcohol-free all natural product line for dogs. The line includes detangler, conditioner, and wash to promote healthy hair.

You can visit Archer And Pine at www.archerpine.com

Find more black businesses to get your gifts this Xmas in our #BuyBlackForXmas section.