Louisiana Congressman Cleo Fields promotes small businesses to enhance revitalization

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — One small business in north Baton Rouge may get a boost after a promotional visit from a democratic congressman.

The phones are ringing, and the line is long for lunch at Lillie’s Kitchen, but this wasn’t always the case.

“This place was closed for a while. It’s good that it’s now open, because of you and your hard work, small businesses like yours help the economy,” Fields said as he thanked the business owner.

The owner, Ms. Lillie, said her currently thriving business was helped along by local leaders.

“One day, someone said this place was available,” said Lillie. “Then, people like Senator Barrow and Darryl Hurst, our council person, everyone talked to Mr. Brown [the previous owner], he wanted to know, ‘Who is this person?’ So, I came over and took a look, and when we came over, it was like magic,” Lillie declared.

Arvin Jones, with an EBR city-parish program called The Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Businesses Program, or SEDBE, said seeing the congressman here supporting small businesses in North Baton Rouge is just what the community needs.

“North Baton Rouge definitely needs some enhancements, some opportunities to grow.  Revitalization is super needed in this area,” Jones said.

Fields said he’ll be calling attention to similar businesses through August, with a listening tour, during his time away from D.C.

He said he’ll take what he learns back to D.C. in hopes of furthering the revitalization of our local economy in spots where it’s most needed.

Fields also said he hopes the tour he’s on will encourage people in our area to keep going with their business ideas.

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