Nine Black-owned Charlottesville and student-run businesses arrived on Peabody Lawn Saturday for the Black Economic Empowerment Society’s inaugural pop-up shop event. Despite cloudy weather, there was an air of excitement as vendors set up their tents and shared their products with visitors. As BEES’ first event involving local businesses, the pop-up shop demonstrated crucial progress in connecting the Black communities of the University and Charlottesville as a whole.