Killer Mike helps black-owned businesses struggling during COVID-19

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    ATLANTA (WGCL) — Roderick Ponder can’t catch a break today.

“It’s been non-stop. Every two minutes, every three minutes. Non-stop. Non-stop,” he said.

Customer flow at Ponder’s Cleaners has done quite the 180, since business took a nose dive following the coronavirus outbreak.

“Business pre-COVID 19 it was slowing down,” he said.

First, came the competitors, said Ponder. Dry cleaners started oversaturating this southwest neighborhood on Campbellton Road. Next, the pandemic brought shelter-in place orders.

“Nowadays, people can work at home,” he said. “They’ve retired. They can dress down, for church, for example, or work. You can dress down, so you don’t really need a lot of stuff to be cleaned.”

Yesterday, that changed, after Ponder’s Cleaners went viral thanks to a social push by Atlanta activist and rapper Killer Mike Render.

Render, an entrepreneur who owns a barbershop,The SWAG Shop, on Edgewood Avenue, is a long-time advocate for black-owned businesses. And has been pushing harder for more support of them, as protesters fight racism and police brutality against black men.

“Ponder’s Cleaners on Campbellton Road. They need customers,” said Render. “We need to make sure we’re supporting them. I wanna see us support.”

The shoutout was a huge surprise for Ponder, who admits he’s not very familiar with the popular Atlanta native.

“I know he’s done some stuff on Netflix,” he said.

Fortunately, Ponder’s niece was, and took to Instagram to ask for help.

Render shared her post with his thousands of followers.

“We came to work thinking it was going to be an average day at work but we have had people nonstop every two minutes, a phone call or somebody will come by,” Ponder said.

A staple in this southwest neighborhood for 50 years, Ponder’s Cleaners is one of the luckier black businesses, that despite not receiving emergency federal funding, is staying afloat.

“We have a good reputation in the neighborhood. Once you do a good job, people will find you,” he said.

COVID-19 hit black communities and black-owned businesses at disproportionately higher rates. Statistics show white owners are seven times more likely to secure loans than black owners.

Ponder said he’s grateful to Render, and was especially touched by the large number of young customers dropping off clothes to be cleaned.

“I was just really amazed as to see how the younger generation comes out to support,” said Ponder. “I do appreciate, anybody, particularly Mike, for you know, just making people know that businesses, do need support.”

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