NY Louie Leverages Community Development Through Small Business & Strategic Relationships Written By Dominique Huff Many Henry County residents love going to the Royal Sports Bar on North Henry Boulevard to relax, enjoy the vibes, and watch a few games. For the patrons, it’s about having something local to do without leaving the county. For NY Louie, it’s about community building. It’s more than just a sports bar. “I want to keep people here in Stockbridge,” he said. “We are making Henry County a destination for locals to have something to do and enjoy themselves without getting on Interstate 75 North.” Growing up in North Manhattan in the Washington Heights community, he saw much diversity and unity and believed that Metro Atlanta needed to see more of such. It was already occurring in North Metro Atlanta in Gwinnett County; now it was time for Henry County. “Music brings us all together. We wanted to combine cultures as we share music and cultural tastes,” he said. “One thing we do with our business is that we are part of the community as we are in the community.” As a business on the North Henry Boulevard corridor, he wants to see more efforts made to address issues such as working with the police, code enforcement, and helping people experiencing homelessness and others in need. He would also like to see public transportation in the county to move people without reliable transportation. “This takes all of us; we cannot solely rely on the government to do it,” he said. “We work with several non-profits in the area. We need to create more job opportunities for our residents.”
41 | GAME CHANGERS MAGAZINE
One of his business secrets is leveraging Stockbridge Amphitheatre’s programming schedule to build promotions for his business. “The amphitheater is a good catalyst, and while we build around them, we capture their energy all year round,” he added.
!We A|e Making Hen| Co n a de ina ion fo| Local To Ha e Some hing To Do Wi h Ge ing on I ù÷)
