Black-Owned: Morgan’s Mini Mart Opens in West Allis

The rapper Nipsey Hussle was an inspiration. Challenges growing up built character and persistence. Now two brothers, Mark Morgan Jr. and Laevaele Smith, have turned those influences and experiences into entrepreneurial success: They’ve opened a black-owned convenience store in West Allis, Wi. 

Morgan’s Mini Mart is bringing the Milwaukee market to West Allis.  

Morgan’s Mini Mart is located on 7911 W. Becher St. in Milwaukee. The black-owned convenience store is open seven days a week and the hours of operation are 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday – Friday and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  

“We bought the Milwaukee market to West Allis, so the stuff they see in here isn’t stuff they see around here,” says Smith.  

Morgan’s Mini Mart offers a range of household and tobacco products. The store also carries groceries, snacks and a full selection of candy. Snap EBT, cash, debit and credit are a few of the tenders accepted. 

On a Mission

Morgan and Smith believe customer service is a top priority while building the foundation for their business. “There isn’t an item we won’t go get for our customers; a lot of the items we have in the store today came from suggestions,” says Morgan.  

Morgan and Smith have prior customer service and retail experience. “If anybody knows how to tailor customer experience it would be us,” says Smith. 

Morgan’s Mini Mart wants its customers to have easier access to the supplies they need. The convenience store offers one of the lowest ATM fees in the greater Milwaukee area at just .99 cents per transaction. Morgan and Smith understand the importance of being able to access funds at a lower cost.  

“We offer the lowest ATM rates because we want to help our customers get the best value, the money they save using our ATM could go towards the purchase of another household product,” says Morgan.  

Where it all started

Morgan and Smith are originally from Chicago but moved back and forth from Chicago to Milwaukee living with multiple relatives as children. The instability they experienced as children forced the two young men to learn life skills from each other and obstacles they faced along the way. Morgan had to live in group homes doing his high school years after a run-in with the law; his experiences during this time helped mold him into who he is today.  

“Growing up I watched a lot of TV and listened to a lot of adult conversations, I always had this vision of what I wanted my life to look like …. kids, family gatherings and vacations, I just want a good life and that’s why this store is important,” says Morgan. 

Morgan got the inspiration to open the convenience store after watching a Nipsey Hussle interview. From the interview, he took away the importance of patience and reinvesting back into their community by establishing businesses and entrepreneurial development programs. 

“The most important thing I learned from Nipsey Hussle is the power of patience and that every obstacle can be overcame,” says Morgan.  

Black entrepreneurship and fatherhood

Morgan, who has a son, is a single father who raises his son with the help of his brother Smith. Smith makes sure his nephew is at school on time and picks him up from school while Morgan works at the store.  Morgan spends his afternoons helping his son with homework and teaching him store duties.  

Morgan hopes his son will follow in his footsteps to entrepreneurship. Morgan and Smith plan to open a few more black owned business establishments in the area consisting of a restaurant and a creative studio.  

“I hope one day my son can take over and run this store so me and my brother can develop other businesses and start our music label,” says Morgan.  

Since the store opening reactions from customers have been positive. The two brothers are expanding the selection one customer at a time.