*A Black couple in Lott, TX, has purchased a block of abandoned commercial property that will ultimately feature Black-owned businesses.
Dr. Tarcia and Derrick Hubert spoke about their ambitious undertaking in a recent interview. The couple has a dedicated YouTube channel to highlight Black businesses. After many were shuttered amid the COVID pandemic, the Huberts decided to purchase buildings in the once-thriving town of Lott, where Tarcia is originally from.
Tarcia’s uncle served as the catalyst for the plan as he bought multiple buildings in the town.
“We kept telling him we want to purchase one and finally the opportunity rolled around,” Tarcia said in an interview. “The thing about these buildings are they’re owned by people who don’t want to sell them. In some cultures, people are taught to not sell — to hold onto their things. So, even though [the buildings] were abandoned, the people who owned them didn’t really want to sell them.”
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Tarcia’s uncle ultimately introduced them to an owner willing to sell his commercial property.
“But my uncle had a relationship with one of the guys, and he convinced him to sell some of the buildings… He let us know, ‘Okay, this guy’s ready to sell the building. Are y’all ready to buy?’ And we were like, ‘Yeah, we’re ready.’ So we jumped on it,” she said.
Construction is in process on the block which currently boasts an event space and a salon. A wing restaurant, coffee shop, and other eateries are opening soon. The goal is to have the block fully running by summer.
“Our goal is that people would want to come visit and patronize our businesses. They will want to come see what we’re doing. And then, also we want to get into developing the residential areas around there as well,” Tarcia said.
“[Lott] was known for its western wear,” Tarcia explained. “We’re in Texas, which is all for cowboy boots and cowboy hats. This town was known for a store called Western Fair, and people from all over the state would come there to buy Western wear. We actually found a picture of one of the buildings with a line like all the way down the strip, people waiting to go into the western wear store to buy their clothes. So this used to be a thriving town, but now it’s dead. And it’s our dream and our goal to revitalize it.”
The Huberts want Lott to ultimately become a prime location option for retirees.
“Like, here’s a small place that I can go to to have a peaceful life and a safe environment but also to have some nice businesses that people would want to come to visit,” Tarcia said.
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