Nicole Jennings
Entrepreneur, community leader, mother, and philanthropist are just some of the many hats Jennings wears in the Twin Cities.
Three years ago, Jennings, a nurse by trade, took the plunge and followed her longtime dream of opening a store. Women’s lifestyle boutique Queen Anna House of Fashion was born, named after Jennings’s stylish and outspoken Granny Anna, who always donned baubles and statement scarves as ways to express herself. (Portraits of Granny Anna even hang on the shop’s walls.)
Since the store’s inception, Jennings’s goal has been to grow and evolve Queen Anna into more than a retail concept. Sure, the North Loop shop stocks on-trend and contemporary apparel and accessories, but it also acts as a hub for salient conversations, panel discussions, and events around topics like body positivity, women’s empowerment, and racial inequality. “I love making the lives of our clients easier by positioning Queen Anna as a resource not just for fashion but philanthropy and culture too. It’s fun making it happen in out-of-the-box ways.”
In August, Jennings created and hosted “Elevate and Amplify: A Black Business Experience,” a four-day-long virtual symposium of sorts designed to connect Twin Citians with a diverse group of businesses, dreamers, and entrepreneurs from Minnesota and beyond. “I thought about all of the Black-owned businesses that need additional help getting in front of new clients and audiences,” says Jennings, who planned the entire series of events in under six weeks. “I want to help make those connections and create a space for them.”
The series, all rooted in the goal of elevating the presence of Black businesses and amplifying products, services, and experiences, included panel discussions around an array of topics, like workplace-based diversity and inclusion; shopping demos; networking opportunities; and even a virtual swag bag for VIPs.
“The purpose of Elevate and Amplify is to give Black-owned businesses a platform to be seen, heard, and met with equal opportunity,” says Jennings.
The unstoppable, forward-thinking force is up to the task of taking on these difficult times and dedicated to help instill change. We can expect to see more events and experiences from Jennings, including a month to celebrate creatives of Hispanic heritage.
