MEMBER FOCUS: Anthony Bryant
WHEN ANTHONY BRYANT WATCHED Beat Street as a kid, he thought, “Yes, that’s what’s up!” Featuring dance-offs and disc jockeying battles, Beat Street exposed Anthony and his friends to a then emerging hip hop movement. “I fell in love with that movie, with its music and the fashion.” he recalls. The formative film was just the start to a full immersion into hip hop culture that influenced his path to becoming a DJ and an entrepreneur. Before headlining events, and before opening Richmond’s beloved Little Nomad, Anthony began his career managing a hip hop clothing shop at Chesterfield Mall.
A native of Chesterfield County, he, at age 19, oversaw the store Up Against the Wall that carried and sold such brands as Sean John, G-unit, and Rocawear. A once ubiquitous chain in the DMV, Up Against the Wall was a place where different cultures met, exchanged ideas, and hung out. “I’ve always wanted to own my own shop,” Anthony notes, “The seed to open one got planted there. It was the first time I thought, ‘I think I could do this.’” As his interest in retail grew, so, too, did passion for music while attending Virginia State University.
As a freshman, Anthony had two neighbors who were heavily involved in the DJ scene. They invited him over, introduced him to new music, and taught Anthony the basics of turntabling and mixing. Soon, he joined his friends on DJ party circuits at UVA and JMU. “I was 18 and thrown into the fire. There wasn’t the same level of technology there is now. You really had to know your stuff: to scan the room, assess the vibe, have a playlist plus a fallback.” 25 years later, and hundreds of shows later, Anthony still evokes that same level of attention and presence. Now playing under the moniker DJ Ant Boogie, he is a master at matching music to the vibe of an event and facilitating meaningful connections between guests.
For Anthony, music builds bridges. No matter the genre, it can bring people together like a superpower. He applies that same abiding philosophy to his business Little Nomad that he co-owns with his wife, Nora. “As we were growing our family, I was going into kids clothing shops and saw a hole in the market. There was a lack of diversity and representation. We wanted to tell a new story of how a children’s store could be and look like.”
Anthony already had years of retail experience under his belt and a desire to own his own business. He had blueprints to open a store from years ago. However, when the financial crisis hit in 2007, banks weren’t readily distributing loans and he had to put his dreams on hold. With a renewed vision in mind, Anthony and Nora launched Little Nomad in 2017 as a line of gender-neutral graphic tees for children. The store’s popularity exploded, leading the husband-wife team to expand into books, toys, women’s clothing, gifts and accessories.
Sourcing from independent makers, many of their brands blend humor and hip hop giving each piece a fresh, modern feel. Tees have messages like “RVA All Day,” “Hip Hop Education,” and “Be a Good Human.” Other ones give voice to social justice: “The Future is Female” and “There is Magic in Melanin.” Anthony mentions how moms will often come into Little Nomad saying, “I wish you had this in my size!” Currently, they have a limited women’s selection. But in the coming years, he and Nora intend to further expand their offerings to all adults. “Moms and dads need gifts, just like kids need gifts,” he explains. “Our long-term goal is for Little Nomad to be a store for the whole family. We also hope to open a few more locations.”
The pandemic and protests have put a temporary pause on their plans for expansion. Anthony recalls the challenges of earlier this spring when he pivoted to digital platforms. As orders were filled online, Anthony made personal deliveries to patrons. “It was hard but was a blessing in disguise since I had the opportunity to connect with folks while driving delivery. Because of the demonstrations, we closed our shop longer than anticipated. With the help of the community, we’ve been okay, and I’ve been able to shed light on what it was like being a Black business owner in the heart of the city’s protests.”
Little Nomad (104 W Broad Street) is currently opened from 12noon-5pm Wednesday through Sunday. They also offer curbside pickup, delivery within a four-mile radius, and/or free shipping for purchases over $30. When Anthony isn’t working at the shop, he is spinning tracks and will play at Common House Richmond again in early December (see our Goings On page for up-to-date listings). Between being a DJ and business owner, his free time is scarce. However, no matter how busy he gets, Anthony always makes time for his family, for his community, for Liverpool soccer, and of course, for hip hop.