Tony Stovall: Lauren came in at a time when we were stuck. There were people walking past here, walking past, but they weren't stopping. Lauren came in and suggested, “Why don't we see what they want? Let's do a survey." All these different things and I'm telling you, this is the biggest message in this to me: We must listen to the young generation. So we can bridge the gap of our wisdom and their ingenuity.
Lauren Stovall: It doesn't matter if I'm the daughter of one of the owners. There was trust that still had to be built up. So they saw me producing. They saw the things that I was suggesting and doing were showing them success and the business success, and so they were able to trust me now.
Cliff Green: You have to understand the intricate parts of running a business, paying your taxes on time, making payroll, paying your utilities, paying your employees, and then being a part of the community as well. We've done, over the course of years, we've done Dress for Success seminars with the Detroit school system, makeovers for Wayne County Community College. We did UNCF (United Negro College Fund) for five, six years, which every year we raised over $100,000 going to the different community businesses.
Lauren Stovall: People are connected to the story of this store. I heard people saying how Hot Sam's has been a part of their life even. I mean, who says that about a store?
Tony Stovall: What you do, you create a relationship with the people, right? And then when they do want to buy something, they're going to remember, "This is the place that I could go to."
Customer: Always a treat where the real ones meet when you come to Hot Sam's. The place.
Cliff Green: (crosstalk) Seven days a week.
Cliff Green: You know, that's how he looks seven days a week, right?
Cliff Green: All my counterparts around here told us we would not last more than six months. That's how they felt about Black brothers taking over a business in Downtown Detroit. They didn't think that we had the knowledge or the wisdom.
Tony Stovall: They're gone and Hot Sam's is still here, celebrating 100 years of business.
Lauren Stovall: There needs to be conversation around what does the succession plan look like? What does generational wealth look like? We have to get outside of the uncomfortability of having these conversations, which I do feel is something that this Black community — my Black community — does, is that we do not talk enough about it. Even within our families, even within our family businesses. As a community, as a whole, we just have that mindset of lack. But we have to know that there is an abundance.
Tony Stovall: I want every kid to understand, you bring value. Do not let anyone take that from you.
Tony Stovall: Just think about this. I worked at a store and then I bought the store. Come on. I don't know if there's a bigger dream you could have.
