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Caribbean Life, Mar. 31-Apr. 6, 2022
jamaican Dancehall singer and businessman,
Buju Banton. Freemind
Photograph
By Nelson A. King
Chief executive officer and president of
Shop Buju Banton (reggae artist and philanthropist
Buju Banton’s clothing line),
Santresa McCarthy has announced the
brand’s debut fashion show for April 10 at
Lemon Grove (7610 NE 4th Court, Miami
FL 33138) from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
The fashion show, entitled “Blessed
Brunch: Rip The Runway- Red, Gold and
Green Edition,” includes the release of the
brand’s “What Drives You’ collection, as
well as “Crypto Rude Boys.”
McCarthy said that the event focuses on
giving attendees a taste of the brand’s new
direction moving forward.
The internationally known brand was
founded on Jul. 15, 2017, and consists of
women’s, kids and menswear.
“The entire collection focuses on creative
designs collaborating directly with Buju
Banton himself,” McCarthy said. “Originally
the brand launched artwork that focused
highly on Buju Banton’s image and legacy
albums, however, it has transitioned into
a lifestyle brand and, in true Buju Banton
fashion, the brand is keen on motivating,
educating and encouraging its supporters.
“Buju Banton’s clothing line aims to
help spread a message of love and peace,
paying homage to Africa, freedom and
liberation, as well as conscious and inspirational
themes with matching reference
graphics,” she added.
“When we launched Shop Buju Banton,
formerly known as Everything BB,
my focus was to capture who the world
knows as Buju Banton’s personality, creativity,
and energy and express it through
fashion,” McCarthy continued. “The music
inspired everything we did. We’re excited
that the company has grown and expanded
to become more of a lifestyle brand. This
way his fans and supporters can truly
express themselves from clothing to home
décor and more.”
Supporters at K&L Manor Banquet Hall, after a Wednesday 23, open-house soft opening. From left, Troy Mitchell,
Nestor Segura, Quaneisha Caballero, Camille Hastick, Andrea Dawes, Owner, Tracey Cameron, a guest, (NYC Council Member
Farah N. Louis partly hidden behind) Vladimir Sterlin, Dina Raviner, Joan Bakiriddin, Hassan Bakiriddin, and Assur Cunningham.
Photo by Tangerine Clarke
K&L Manor Banquet Hall ready for bookings
By Tangerine Clarke
K&L Manor Banquet Hall, a 6000 sq ft.
newly remodeled banquet hall, a womenowned
business, located at 4501 Glenwood
Rd., in Community Board 17 in Brooklyn,
welcomed prospective clients on March 23
to its open-house Wednesdays, as New York
rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic.
New York City Council Member Hon.
Farah N. Louis, congratulated Brooklynborn
Tracey Cameron, proprietor of K&L
Manor, on her achievement during Women’s
History Month, and thanked the Community
Board 17 Commerce Committee
for their unwavering commitment to small
businesses, that benefits the East Flatbush
district.
“It is important to invest in small businesses
like these, we don’t have a lot in CB
17. I am grateful to be here, to support this
business owner. This is an opportunity for
us to showcase the phenomenal things we
have in our district,” said Louis, adding that
the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, (BCC)
has an alliance with small businesses, and a
connection to the community.
“It is also an opportunity to have ribboncutting
ceremonies, and for small businesses
to become members of the Brooklyn
Chamber of Commerce,” said Louis, who
appreciate resources such as marketing and
social media, that are available for businesses
to be visible in the community.
“When you see the councilmember
attending an event like this, you know you
could rent this space. This gets the word
out,” she assured, especially now that New
York City is opening after the pandemic.
Louis’ office is a vanguard in the fight
against the COVID-19, providing much
needed covid testing kits and PPE to businesses,
while communicating with the
mayor’s office, for support.
“Happy Women’s History Month, the
doors are open. We are family. Thank you
for being a phenomenal woman,” she said to
Tracey Cameron, adding, “this is a fantastic
time to open a business. We must support
our minority women-owned businesses. I
look forward to seeing Tracey and her team
thrive. We will be here to support her.”
Cameron, who saw an opportunity after
the pandemic to expand her business ventures
as a banquet hall owner, after starting
small, and gradually building her brand
to include the new location, described the
massive space as an all-white canvas that
would allow clients to design the space to
suit their special occasion.
The roomy banquet hall, in the space
of the former Tropical Reflections night
club, after a few hiccups, and a slowdown
due the Omicron virus outbreak, has been
upgraded to include white marble flooring,
an elevated deejay booth, and an expansive
drinks bar.
Cameron is excited that business is picking
up, sharing that the month of April
2022, is almost fully booked, while inviting
party planners to view the space on openhouse
Wednesdays, 6 pm – 8 pm, or by calling
her office at 917-815-3607 for booking
of their upcoming events.
She proudly claimed that L&K is one
of the largest banquet halls in Brooklyn,
with an open canvas space that can accommodate
bouncy houses for children’s functions.
Weddings, repasses, popup shops,
and all events are welcomed in the space,
at the corner of 45th Street and Glenwood
Road.
Hassan Bakiriddin, chair for community
board commerce committee, who has
facilitated a series of openings of small businesses
in the East Flatbush district, said he
wanted to lend support to the business that
was due to relaunch in December 2021 but
was hindered due to the Omicron virus.
“We want the community to know that
this amazing, beautiful space is here,” he
said of the 500-capacity seating venue space,
with marble white flooring and white walls,
and recommended patrons come down to
check it out, adding that Cameron is a community
oriented person, and all are invited
to enjoy the space.
Joan Bakiriddin, wife of Hassan, and
chair of community board commerce committee,
called the event a grand reopening
of K&L Manor, an upscale, banquet hall,
that brings a beautiful addition to “our
community.”
Owner of K&L Manor Banquet Hall,
Stacey Cameron, NYC Council Member
Farah N. Louis, and VP Economic
Development & Strategic Partnership,
Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce,
Dina Rabiner, at the soft opening of K&L
Manor Banquet Hall. Photo byTangerine
Clarke
Shop Buju
Banton debuts
fashion show