After several banks turned down his loan request, this entrepreneur kept pushing through roadblocks to close on a property he wanted before it ever went on the market for sale.
Tony A. Reimonenq Jr. of Reimonenq & Co. L.L.C., his wife, and three sons purchased a 20-unit strip mall in the Oak Grove community of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, with plans to transform the location into a version of the original Black Wall Street that was founded in Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Historic Greenwood District.
According to Black Business, the establishment will be named Greenwood Plaza and provide spaces to empower and equip individuals to become entrepreneurs.
“I’ve always had a heart to help others succeed, but to do that, I first had to succeed,” said Reimonenq, CEO of the family business.
“I’ve dreamed of having a location from which others like myself can work and draw inspiration from Tulsa’s Greenwood District.”
“I want to empower the people at the bottom of the pyramid who just need an opportunity,” he added.
“They aren’t lazy. They work hard but just haven’t learned how to win yet.”
“I know how and want to link up with them to be a part of helping to not only change the trajectory of their lives and the lives of their families but of our communities as a whole. I see it as a civic duty,” he said, according to the outlet.
The Small Business Administration’s District Director, Janita Stewart, said the plaza is ideal for trade schools, supply stores, barber shops, beauty salons, insurance, real estate brokers, medical offices, lending institutions, caterers, florists, and events or corporate meetings.
“Having a resource to help someone start a business or grow an existing one situated under the same roof is a great asset,” Stewart said.
“Small businesses and entrepreneurs need various resources to do what they do best, which is to create, make, sell something, or provide a viable service.”
“When small businesses succeed, so does the economy,” she added.