At Lil’ Greenhouse Grill in Overtown on Friday, some guests didn’t just walk in to enjoy the chicken and waffles or vibe to the live music — they came to talk business.
Kicking off National Black Business Month, celebrated every August, the Overtown Business Association (OBA) hosted its first “Friday Business Networker” event, inviting both established and aspiring business owners in the community to connect and brainstorm.
“The goal is for us to show love and appreciation to every single business and have other people come and do the same thing. Because what this does is it creates an opportunity for people,” said Metris Batts-Coley, executive director of the OBA.
The Main Street approach
The OBA is a nonprofit that brings together local business owners and other nonprofits to promote commerce in Overtown, offering marketing, legal and accounting support to businesses of all sizes. Last week’s networking event was just one part of the organization’s broader effort to nurture local talent and boost business in the community while preserving Overtown’s historic identity, aiming to elevate it alongside South Florida’s other main streets.
Nicole Gates, creative lead for Lil’ Greenhouse Grill and a board member on the OBA, is one of those business owners. She feels that it’s her duty to help her community grow in any way she can…