By Mary Alice Miller
Brownsville Hub Cooperative is a community-member-driven initiative designed for Brownsville residents to achieve economic mobility. The cooperative uses a people-centered, equity-based approach to create a self-sufficient community that builds individual and community wealth through education, ownership, business, and workforce development.
The Cooperative has answered the call to develop a Restaurant Row and re-imagine the Belmont Avenue business corridor. At a recent Kwanzaa event, the community met businesses who have pledged to move to Brownsville to partner with local entrepreneurs. Attendees enjoyed a sampling of food, desserts, and products from businesses that have committed to establishing a presence in Brownsville.

“We are manifesting Belmont Avenue Restaurant Row through collective work and responsibility. The vendors here are some of the businesses who will be coming and opening on Belmont Avenue,” said La’Shawn Muhammad, Executive Director of Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation. “Not only are they expanding in the community, they are partnering with local people. Moving forward, the people who live here will own businesses here.”
Stuart Cinema Cafe will be the anchor for Belmont Restaurant Row, coming in the Spring of 2024.

Representing Stuart Cafe, Andre said, “Owner Emelyn Stuart is the first Latina to own a movie theater. The first site is a cozy, one-screen, 50-seat theater located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The cinema’s menus feature empanadas made by Emelyn’s mother and signature mojitos.”
The Belmont Avenue location for Stuart Cinema Cafe will have three screens with 50 seats each. The spaces will be available for community use. In addition to the cinema’s food offerings, they also cater to movie sets and the community.
Future vendors planning to establish a presence on Belmont Avenue include Amarachi Catering, Bobsta Kwisine, Bleu Fin Bar and Grill, Brother Malike’s catering Service, Safari Cuisine, Brownstone Cafe, Bonellos Sweet Spot, and YZ Lifestyle Butters, Balms, and Scrubs.
The Cooperative will work to generate revenue as a community and disrupt systems that contribute to a lack of economic progress.