Out of Africa: Tunde Dada makes good selling African culture, from books to clothing.

Tunde Dada makes good selling African culture, from books to clothing

Six years ago, Tunde and Temi Dada left their native land of Nigeria to make a new home in the United States. After attending several festivals where they saw Afrocentric products being sold, Tunde had a entrepreneurial brainstorm. At each of these fairs, various vendors sold separate items. Wouldn't it be more lucrative, Tunde thought, if all these products were brought together and peddled under one roof.

A few months later, he and his wife took out a $10,000 cash advance on two credit cards and opened their first store. They stocked their 2,000-sq.-ft. space with African books, jewelry, clothing, hair products and greeting cards.

Today, the husband and wife team are the owners of Tunde Dada, which grossed about $1.4 million in sales last year. The 15-employee company specializes in selling cultural and educational products to the general public and small retail stores, with a client base that reaches as far as the Virgin Islands and London.

Initially, the Dadas made several key, business-savvy moves to help secure their store's success. To promote the venture, the couple participated in local fairs and set up booths at major corporations and schools during Black History month. They also placed advertisements on buses and purchased commercial spots on cable television and radio stations.

Before they knew it, their clientele was larger than the space could accommodate. So, in 1994, the Dadas bid $300,000 to buy a vacant bank located across the street from their store. After securing a loan and haggling for months with the building's owners, they were finally able to move into the three-floor, 15,000-sq.-ft. bank property. The expanded business now includes products the Dadas make themselves as well as buy wholesale.

"We manufacture paper plates, napkins and cups with kente designs, and have published several children's books," says Tunde. Their wholesale business includes masks, statues and games.

The main floor of the store houses a children's section complete with toys. The third floor is a gallery, where patrons can buy the works of prominent local African American artists. The store also serves as a meeting place for book clubs and signings by popular black writers.

The Dadas are looking at creating a chain of black-owned gift shops. They have already spent $60,000 in construction and $100,000 to fully stock a second store.

Tunde Dada, 356 Main St., Orange, NJ 07050; 201-673-4446