H Street business owners determined to focus on positives despite seeing more crime

WASHINGTON — The doors of Tony's Place on H Street remained closed Wednesday afternoon, one day after police say an employee was shot inside the restaurant. But small business owners along the corridor say they're determined to make sure the area thrives.

For H Street native Keem Hughley, who opened Bronze five months ago, seeing the neighborhood thrice is personal. So he starts by making sure his staff does the little things right.

"If we go outside, we make sure the street is clean, we make sure the outside of our building is clean, we try to make sure the AutoZone parking lot is clean," he said. "We have a good relationship with our neighbors. We’ve added value to H Street."

While Hughley acknowledges he has seen more crime recently, he feels like the incidents have been isolated. But he sees a solution.

"It’s about creating options," the business owner said. "Right now if the only option is to hang around, that’s what people are going to do." 

Hughley pointed to the bus stop across the street from Tony's Place, which he says he always heavily populated, no matter what time of day. 

"That bus stop is normally just 20-30 people hanging around and a lot of those people need help," he said. "If we can find help for those people, then we can find a solution for those people to not hang out at the bus stop all day."

For now, Hughley said he will continue to do the small things right and focus on the positives that the community is doing along the H Street corridor.

"I think if we work together," he said, "I’m 100% sure this will continue to be the great block that it’s been."