Family, friends, and loyal customers attended the grand opening and ribbon-cutting of Sunshine’s Vegan restaurant. Sunshine’s Health Food Store & Vegetarian Deli has served the Houston community for over 30 years and opened its second location, located at 1202 Lockwood, on Saturday.

Black-owned businesses are vital to the area’s growth, said Marina Coryat, a board member of the Houston Area Urban League (HAUL). “When we can support black-owned businesses, it helps the ripple effect to help other families in our community,” Coryat said. To many, June 19 is known as Juneteenth, a day to celebrate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. The day now serves as a double celebration for those connected to the Houston Area Urban League said Coryat. “To think that an organization has been doing this to help others for that length of time is incredible,” Coryat said.