Mary Blackford

Mary Blackford is the Founder of Market 7, Washington, D.C.’s first Black-owned food hall that features Black-owned food and lifestyle businesses to alleviate food and retail deserts. Mary graduated from Babson College with a B.S. in Business Management. As a student, she also taught entrepreneurship courses to high school students in Ghana and South Africa. She began her career in the socially responsible finance industry as an analyst. In 2017 she launched her most recent venture, Market 7. Market 7 has worked with 60 Black-owned businesses in the D.C. area to create alternative community pop-up markets that include fresh food, lifestyle products, and home essentials in Ward 7 (D.C.). Market 7 is currently building a new 7,000 square foot food hall slated to open in 2021. Market 7 has been highlighted by Forbes, Washington Post, CNBC, Black Enterprise, Washingtonian, Essence Magazine, NBC, FOX, and WUSA.