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GREENSBORO, N.C. — Greensboro business owners say they have seen an increase in foot traffic since N.C. A&T’s weeklong homecoming kicked off last Sunday.
Between 40,000 and 60,000 people attend the event each year, and it makes an economic impact on the Triad of millions of dollars.
Latosha Adams opened You Got Nailed and Spa minutes from N.C. A&T’s campus just after homecoming week ended last year.
This year she said her business is experiencing the strength of Aggie Pride for the first time, getting inundated with calls, walk-ins and appointments from students, alumni and others preparing for the event.
“It’s been a lot of business,” Adams said. “We are almost overwhelmed, but it’s going pretty well. I am happy. It’s homecoming.”
Related: N.C. A&T police stress safety during homecoming week
Vendors from across the country also are seeing a benefit from the heavy foot traffic at the event, which ends Sunday.
Soma Fashion owner Adama Sylla shares his designs at the biggest festivals in the country and says the N.C. A&T homecoming has been profitable, but the event is about a lot more than money. He says it is an opportunity to connect with and support others.
“It’s about helping each other and bringing out the best of us and sharing it with our people too,” Sylla said.
N.C. A&T is the largest historically Black university in the country.
According to a report released by N.C. A&T, visitor spending during homecoming brought in $43.9 million in 2022, and the week draws the most visitors of any university event.
To read more about the school’s economic impact on the state, click here.
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