YoCo Twist Blog
Food and Beverages
Sweet Mama's Mambo Sauce is a delicious finishing sauce that brings a "Kiss of Deliciousness" to all of your dishes. There are five flavors that can be purchased year-round: Original, Spicy, Maryland Bohemian Bay Style, Rag'n Island, and Mariachi Mango. There are two seasonal flavors: Poppin Peach and Spirited Spicy Cranberry. Sweet Mama's is a family-owned business. Owner Jen Heasley, along with her daughters, Paige and Brooke, have been focused on making a great sauce since 2016. You can pick up a bottle or two at their stand inside Central Market or purchase online. Check out the interactive Food and Fun cooking parties that Jen offers, as well as her amazing catering offerings.
Husband and wife Mark and Val Rhodes turned their wine-making hobby into their namesake business venture – Mark and Val Wines, the first Black-owned winery in York County. The York winery purchases grapes from local and regional vineyards, and produce, bottle, and label their wines (reds, whites, and everything in between). Try a few blends at their tasting room, then take a few bottles home to remember your trip. Be sure to check in on the Good Libations Trails digital passport when you visit.
Skillet2Plate Soul Bistro serves items such as cornbread, macaroni and cheese, fresh vegetables (cabbage, collard greens, candied yams), fried chicken, barbecued chicken, and much more. The term "soul food" refers to African American foods emanating from the South, but with roots in African culinary traditions.
Accommodations and Attractions
Escape to France, Asia, Mexico, and Switzerland through artfully-curated décor at Grace Manor Bed & Breakfast in downtown York City. Each of the four welcoming suites has a geographical theme created with one-of-a-kind finds by the stylish owner and interior designer Joanne Wilmore. Slip into a hot-pepper red, heart-shaped tub in the Mexico Room or a Malaysian canopy bed shrouded in silks in the Asian Suite. Try on vintage hats underneath a stunning chandelier in the French Suite, or marvel at the chandelier made of twigs in the Swiss Chalet Suite. The three-course, Southern-inspired breakfast is just as inventive. Wilmore is a foodie whose delicacies include chicken and waffles with jalapeno butter and sriracha maple syrup, jumbo shrimp with andouille sausage gravy, and crème brulee grapefruit.
Joanne also created Sojourn Noir, an organization that amplifies the voices of Black leisure travelers to encourage local businesses and attractions to create an atmosphere where Black travelers can fully enjoy York County, feeling respected, welcome, and experiencing a sense of belonging.
One of the top historical attractions in York County is The William C. Goodridge Freedom Center & Underground Railroad Museum. It was once the home of a freed slave who became one of the wealthiest men in York. To free others, however, Goodridge put his life and fortune in danger by becoming an Underground Railroad station master. Fugitive slaves hid in a hand-dug hole filled with straw under his kitchen floor and rode his rail cars to Philadelphia. The secret hiding spot was discovered after Goodridge died when a new owner started renovations. During your visit, you can enjoy an hour-long guided tour. The museum houses permanent and rotating exhibits, living history interpreters, and more. There’s a full-size statue of Goodridge in front of the museum.
Join Friends of Lebanon Cemetery for one of their walking tours of York County's largest and oldest Black-owned cemetery. Listen to authentic narratives of the lives of those interred within these Hallowed Grounds. From the celebrated to the humble, you will learn about their struggles, hardships, passions, and contributions to York's history. The Paved Over Prominence Project™ Walking Tour embarks on a journey through the annals of York City African American history, exploring sites that were once alive with life, culture, and spirit but have since been abandoned, demolished, or obscured by the relentless march of progress. This expedition traverses a variety of locales, from vibrant neighborhoods and sacred places of worship to bustling workplaces and former businesses, each with its own story of resilience, community, and struggle against the backdrop of a society that often sought to marginalize them. This tour was recently featured in a York Daily Record article that you can read here.
Shopping
Our Sons and Daughters is an all-natural luxury soapery. The business was a dream that came to life from the desire of parents who wanted to ease the burden of their child's sensitive skin. Cresha and Phillip invite you to visit their booth at Central Market and chat about your skin care needs and to learn about their other natural luxury products.
Liebe Krafted Designs is a handmade candle and gift business carrying items such as handmade candles, soaps, air plants, resin art, and much more. You can often find this family business at area craft shows. Or, arrange for Liebe to host a candle-making class at your location. Liebe is currently based at Ophelia’s Making Agency, the brainchild of artist Ophelia Chambliss, who is dedicated to helping small, minority-owned, creative businesses start, improve, grow, or innovate. Ophelia’s Making Agency provides artist studios in a location that allows the arts to complement downtown social and cultural activities and serve as an economic driver for restaurants and businesses. Nine affordable studio spaces provide public interaction and a sense of community.
From vegan leather jumpsuits to bold red swirling coats, Gusa by Victoria clothes get you noticed. The best part? Each piece is unique and created by Victoria Kageni-Woodard, who designs limited-edition artisan pieces without haute couture prices. You can find her shop in the Royal Square District of York City.
Refillism is an eco-friendly zero waste brand, store, and online shop. With customers all around the U.S., Refillism is part of a movement to live an eco-friendly lifestyle and to be environmentally conscious with every purchase. They want to make eco-homes the standard, not the exception. Refillism is led by its founder, Elizabeth Bower, who formed the company with the aim of creating a shopping experience with quality, natural, eco-friendly, zero waste, refillable, and reusable products.
Consulting Services and Promotional Products
In the Black Consulting & Promotions is the new name when it comes to promotional items for your business. With more than 450,000 promotional items to choose from, their team can assist in offering high-quality options for general advertising, events, customer appreciation, employee recognition, trade shows, customer promotions, and more. Schedule a brainstorming session with the team in your office or theirs and allow In the Black to help your next marketing push make a big impact.
