WEST MONROE, LA. (KTVE/KARD) — Any business owner knows how important customers are to the longevity of the business. One local restaurant owner in West Monroe, LA., is doing everything he can to give back to the community that has given so much to him.
Chris Lewis became the owner of Coney Island Connection in 2019. Since then, he has worked to serve his community and go beyond just running a restaurant. Most recently, the business collected items to give to tornado victims in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Chris spoke to us more about the restaurant’s giving back.
“We saw it on the news and we just, we jumped into action. I made a post on Facebook on my Coney Island Connection page, just letting the people in our community know that we were gonna start collecting all kinds of items to take over to Mississippi to help those in need. We collected items for I believe 11 or 12 days, and we filled up a 25-foot enclosed trailer.”
The encouraging force behind this giving back, Chris says, is the love and support he has felt from the community.
“They show us so much respect, so much love. We just, we’re just thankful and grateful. Each month we feed a business entity or some kind of government agency for free because we realized that in order for us to stay open, we have to have the support from the community, and the community shows us overwhelming support.”
Coney Island Connection has also been named Member of the Month for April by the West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce. Chris says it overwhelms him knowing that the community thinks highly of him and his business.
The restaurant is hoping to get more items donated in order to take a trip to Little Rock, ARK., and help tornado victims in the city.
