BLAC Business Profile: Clera’s Creative Gifts Provides Black-Themed Wrapping Paper

Here at BLAC, we’re all about celebrating the holidays with Black-owned businesses, especially those Detroit-based businesses that allow us to shine on gifting and wrapping paper images. Let us introduce you to a Clera’s Creative Gift, a Detroit-based gifting brand that’s ready for the holidays.

Lorna Cheatham, owner and Founder of Clera’s Creative Gifts, LLC, established her gift store in 2018, with a simple mission to hire the abused Black women of Detroit who were recently released from prison. And while it was created with Black women in mind, it was named after just one particular woman. “I named this company after my mother Clera as my way of keeping her memory alive,” says Cheatham. “I was born in Nashville, Tennessee in a family of 12 siblings, birthdays and holidays were always a special time for us, even though we didn’t get much we cherished what we received.  At the age of nine my mother was taken away from us and all we had left were her cherished memories, which is why I decided to name this company after her, my way of keeping her memory alive.”

Makers of custom Black-designed wrapping papers and gift boxes, Clera’s caters to Black families that enjoy the holidays as much as she does. The Christmas collection of wrapping paper including images of a Black Santa, a Black Man shopping and a Black woman feeling holiday cheer, as well as one of girl being festive and one of a little Black boy; all representing Black faces. Clera’s Creative Gifts also include wrapping paper for birthdays, Kwanzaa, baby and of course birthdays.

With an investment of right under $20k, Cheatham has been able to start and maintain her online shop website set up. “I will work as a mental health care provider, where I operate residential facilities for the mentally handicapped as well as operating an adult skills building day program, Clera’s Creative Gifts is my baby and we enjoy the holidays as much as the families that patronize our business.”