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'I felt embarrassed and really naive' | Winston-Salem business owner shuts down stores for Juneteenth

Emily Davis said this is the first time she's heard of Juneteenth, and immediately started educating herself and others. She closed her stores Friday to commemorate.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Friday is June 19, a day known as Juneteenth that celebrates when slaves in Texas learned they were free.

RELATED: Celebrate Juneteenth (virtually) from anywhere in the nation

Recently, we've seen cities and chain retailers like Target recognize Juneteenth for the first time. 

Now local shops are taking notice, Like Fleet Feet Sports and New Balance in Winston-Salem. 

Both businesses are owned by Emily Davis.

Davis made a raw social media post, admitting that she didn't know what Juneteenth represented prior to this week, like so many others.

We will be closed for business on Friday, June 19, 2020 in recogniti... on of Juneteenth- the end of slavery in the USA. This is Emily Davis, the owner of New Balance WS and Fleet Feet WS. Keith and I have been small business owners in our community since August 2006 when we opened Fleet Feet Winston-Salem.

In the post, she questioned why we celebrate things like Valentine's day and not Juneteenth.

"I remember thinking, what is Juneteenth anyway and what's the significance?"

Even though the Winston-Salem New Balance is locally-owned, Davis got an email from corporate asking if she'd close her doors Friday to recognize Juneteenth along with the company.

RELATED: What is Juneteenth? Marking the end of slavery in America

"My first reaction was 'what?' We've been closed for two months already."

Both of her sneaker businesses just got back up and running after coronavirus shutdowns.

"We basically have not been able to pay our rent for March, April, May," Davis explained.

She is the first to admit she was uneducated on this particular part of American history.

"I feel embarrassed and really naïve," she said. But she remedied that by researching and reaching out to her friends.

RELATED: These companies are giving their employees time off for Juneteenth

"People that know me know I love everybody, I'm not a prejudiced person and I do a lot of work in Kenya," she said. "So I put on Facebook – 'OK friends I need some help here I've never heard of Juneteenth until this week.'"

She said many of her friends hadn't heard of it either. But as soon as she understood the significance she decided to close her Winston-Salem Fleet Feet and New Balance locations for Juneteenth.

"This is a chance for me to educate myself, but as business leaders in Winston-Salem, to also educate others."

As a part of that education, Davis also organized a .619 mile prayer walk.

"While its been a crummy year in many ways, perhaps it's the beginning of something really great," Davis reflected. "Maybe 2020 marks the beginning of Juneteenth being taught in schools, and making it a national holiday."

If you want to join, the prayer walk Friday will start at 5 p.m. at Mount Cavalry Holy Church on 14th Street.


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