Today we’d like to introduce you to Laolu Davies.
Laolu, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I immigrated to Houston, TX as a child and attended Houston public schools before earning a degree from the University of Houston-Downtown. I founded my first business Five Woods Realty in 2005, the same year I graduated, and it has since grown into a full real estate brokerage and development consulting firm.
In 2010, I began collecting art works from Africa, during annual trips to Nigeria, and what began as a hobby quickly grew into a robust collection. The interest my friends took in the art inspired the idea behind the creation of Ogun Art + Wine as a venue to showcase the art and some of the other interesting exports of Africa including wine and music. After several years of planning, I put together the startup capital and opened up our first location December 30, 2016.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road of an entrepreneurial venture is hardly ever smooth, and this one has been no different. The difficulties loomed large right from the beginning as we were working on opening up a new venue right in the middle of the holiday season. As we got going, we hit other stumbling blocks along the way dealing with issues like assembling the right personnel and developing a team chemistry. We also dealt with other unforeseen issues like equipment failure, regulatory delays, and oh the Harvey rainstorm event whose effects are still lingering.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Ogun Art + Wine is an art gallery that doubles as a wine bar, with an aim of introducing people to a positive perspective on the African cultural experience through the Arts and Wine. We have a unique venue, with great ambiance and an incredible vibe that is great for hosting functions. We are also known for the great selection of wine we offer from all the major wine producing regions of the world, with a particular emphasis on wine from Africa. We are most proud of our business ethos of treating people fairly, treating our employees well, and making it a priority to deliver the best guest experience to our patrons. We stand out from our peers for our commitment to being a longstanding institution that showcases Houston’s diversity and dynamism.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Houston has been a good place for us to establish the first of what we hope will be several locations. Houston remains one of the best cities to start and grow a business in America, and we are proud to be a part of this great community. We do believe that Houston can do more to provide support to entrepreneurs by ameliorating regulatory requirements, as they apply to startup small businesses.
Pricing:
- Happy Hour: Monday through Saturday from 4 – 7pm
- Happy Hour: $3 off wines by the glass;$2 off small plates; $1 off beer
Contact Info:
- Address: 920 Studemont St, Suite 150, Houston, TX
- Website: www.ogunartwine.com
- Phone: 281-501-1788
- Email: info@ogunartwine.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ogunartwine/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/oguartwine/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/ogunartwine/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ogun-art-wine-houston
Image Credit:
Ogun Art + Wine
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
