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Copa Style Magazine
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  • FASHION
    • TROY ANTHONY BY KRISTINA CHRISTOPHER
    • GRACE LEMON BY KRISTINA CHRISTOPHER 1/16/23
    • LIZETH ALVARADO GATSBY SHOWCASE 2022
    • JEANANNE ROBERTS GATSBY 2022
    • DR. MOBI 12/30/22
    • CHIC NOUVELLE MODEL MANAGEMENT
    • LAURA FOTE THE GATSBY FOUNDATION 2022
    • KRISTINA CHRISTOPHER 12/23/22
    • JAY MARTINEZ, WINNER "2022 WORLD TOP MODEL DMV-USA
    • LEZLIE DAY REPORTS ON THE GATSBY SHOWCASE FASHION SHOW
    • JEANANNE ROBERTS REPORTS ON THE GATSBY SHOWCASE 2022
    • GAYLA BYNUM DAVID YURMAN FASHION SHOW PART 2
    • DR. MARCHETTE LOCKETTE-SMITH INTERVIEW 12/18/22
    • DR. MARCHETTE LOCKETTE - SMITH "WIGS"
    • CULTURA FASHION SHOW 11/21/22
    • JENNIFER WAKFIELD USOA PAGENT 10/25/22
    • LIZETH ALVARADO EPIC BEAUTY Rx
    • MARTINA MYERS 10/27/22 WORLD TOP MODEL 2022
    • SOBEIDY VIDAL LATIN FASHION WEEK 10/11/22
    • raMONA DESIGNS
    • AUTHENTIC BEAUTIES 10/30/22
    • DMV FASHION WEEK 2022
    • CARLA DIAZ DELEON 10/12/22
    • KALENA EVERETT
    • LAVISH CROWN PRODUCTS (CHINA WILSON)
    • ANDRES AQUINO (DESIGNER)
    • Jana Love Sedlokova & Lamont Easter HOSTS OF WE MODEL USA 5/16/22
    • PATRICIA WATTS & PHOENIX WEMODEL USA
    • ARETHA BAILEY (REE REE THE MODEL)
    • AMARIS JANELLE (MODEL)
    • YANA ZIOLKOWSKI
    • JEANANNE ROBERTS (INTERVIEW) 4/28/22
    • CRYSTAL NICOLE
    • JEANANNE ROBERTS 3/28/2022
    • SIMON BECHARA 4/1/22
    • CARLA DIAZ DELEON
    • YOLANDA STENNETT MRS. INTERNATIONAL
    • MARQUISHA FITZGERALD
    • MARQUISHA FITZGERALD
    • MAQUISHA FITZGERALD
    • MARTINA MYERS TEEN FASHION CORRESPONDENT
    • JORDAN WILDER
    • CINTIA HULLEN 1/20/22
    • PRESHANT GOYAL HERITAGE INDIA FASHIONS
    • SAVANNAH RABIN (WORLD TOP MODEL DMV WINNER)
    • CRAIG KELLEY (MODEL) 12/31/21
    • ROWENA KAY (CHIC NOUVELLE MODEL MANAGEMENT)
    • JOSIE VALDEZ 12/27/21
    • CYNTHIA JOHNSON
    • GATSBY SHOWCASE AT THE MANDARIN HOTEL (DC)
    • MALCOLM STAPLES 10/21/21
    • RONKE OGUNMOKUN
    • MIRANDA FRAZIER
    • JENNIFER ZIEGELBAUER, MODEL
    • PATRICIA WATTS WORLD TOP MODEL 11/6/21
    • CINTIA HULLEN MODEL CORRESPONDENT
    • TATIANA COLE PART 1
    • MYLANTA SIMPSON
    • JUDITH BARNES
    • CYNTHIA JOHNSON MODEL 9/25/21
    • WILLIAM CALLWOOD
    • CARLTON HART 8/15/21
    • BLAQUE BARBIE BOUTIQUE
    • JACQUELINE MIMS
    • CHEYANNE JENNAE 8/22/21
    • MYRNA (HAZELEYES) PITTS 6/4/21
    • SHOE FANATIC by SHEILA
    • CYNTHIA JACKSON
    • ANYA BY VIVIEN BRIDAL 2021
    • SHENETTA MALKIA 5/15/21
    • YELENA'S MAKEUP COLUMN: "A CINDERELLA STORY" 4/10/21
    • VASHTI GRAY BURGESS 4/23/21
    • MOZELLA PLACE 4/21/21
    • YELENA SCHEIDLER
    • LASHANDA THURSTON (SHANDA GRAND) 4/21/21
    • SAMRINA LEM LEM
    • ULYCIA GREGORY
    • ROWENA KAY (MODEL MANAGEMENT)
    • SABRINA SEOUL "YING YANG LEATHER SWING COAT" 2/8/21
    • INGRID CAMPBELL WHITE 3/19/15
    • SARA BEE
    • BRINETTE (ALCHEMY CLOTHING
    • LUPITA ANEZ "2020 MODEL OF THE YEAR" 11/17/20
    • NISHA SHETH MUMBAI BOUTIQUE
    • NAKIA HARDY
    • NADIA NALIINI NEUBERT
    • TATIANA COLE DESIGNS
    • SABRINA SEOUL "STYLE" COLUMN 12/7/20
    • HEAVEN HIGHTOWER
    • DEBRA STORY
    • CONSTANCE BELL
    • SABRINA SEOUL (Part 3)
    • SABRINA SEOUL (Part 2)
    • SELAMAWIT YIRGA
    • CYNTHIA PRESS "Le Billet D'or"
    • LISA BUSH 7/10/2020
    • SABRINA SEOUL (Part 1)
    • HOPEZ
    • MRS. SABRINA KAS FLANAGAN
    • MALCOLM STAPLES 5/29/20
    • DELTA VIRTUAL FASHION SHOW
    • NICOLE DANIELLE 8/12/20
    • LIZ NGUYEN'S INTERVIEW WITH COPA STYLE MAGAZINE
    • TONYA BROUGHTON 3/6/20
    • ANYA BY VIVIEN 4/14/20
    • CARLA FELIX-CLAURE
    • DANIELE COOKE
    • MIKELL REED CARROLL AT MILAN FASHION WEEK 3/6/20
    • SYDNEY WEBB TEEN MODEL
    • ALYSSHA SHANKS 3/8/20
    • LORD & TAYLOR (DC) HOST DELTA SIGMA THETA INC. FASHION SHOW/FUNDRAISER
    • RONALD BYRD DCFW 2020
    • BEHIND THE SCENES AT NYFW WITH HiTech MODA
    • TORI SOUDAN FOOTWEAR
    • MICHELLE WISEMAN
    • COPA STYLE MAGAZINE SALUTES GAYELA BYNUM AT LORD & TAYLOR
    • SHEKIRA RAMDASS
    • ZJAY KAYCI
    • MAYA CLARK
    • SABRINA YOUNG
    • PARIS FASHION WEEK 2020
    • LIZ NGUYEN
    • MELVIN LEE WALKER
    • HAITI ESTELLHOMME
    • KYMBERLY KNIGHTON
    • RONALD BYRD DCFW
    • LISA BUSH DCFW 10/9/19
    • STEPHANIE WHITE NYFW/THE POWER OF FASHION
    • RENEE ALLEN HOSTS THE "POWER OF FASHION" SHOW
    • EAN WILLIAMS: THE UNTOLD STORY
    • DUR DOUX
    • TREMAINE POLLYDORE
    • DUR DOUX PART 2
    • BUSINESS OF FASHION
    • CALI TYLER
    • SAROSH TAKES FOCUS ON FASHION AT THE TOWER
    • KYMBERLY KNIGHTON
    • CLYOPATRA COUTURE
    • DELL SCOTT
    • IFEOMA ONYIA DMV FASHION WEEK
    • JANELLE JOHNSON 6/30/19
    • RICHARD SENKBILE
    • LENZI BAZAAR (PHOTOGRAPHER) TAKES FOCUS ON COPA STYLE MAGAZINE'S 8TH ANNIVERSARY FASHION SHOW AT LORD & TAYLOR
  • EVENTS
    • GAYELA BYNUM: DAVID YURMAN FASHION SHOW TO BENEFIT WWSC
    • JENNIFER WAKFIELD "SINGLES IN THE CITY"
    • DR. SOY RICHARDS "TEACHER FESTIVAL"
    • DMV FASHION WEEK 2022
    • TICKET FOR COPA STYLE MAGAZINE BLACK TIE AWARDS AT UNION STATION
    • SYLVIA TRAMORE MORRISON PORTRAYS JACKIE MOMS MABLEY
    • FELICIA'S FUND, VIVIEN ANYADUBA AGBAKOBA - FOUNDER
    • FOXTRAPPE REUNION 2019
    • KAREN MARIA ALSTON COVERS THE DAVID CHAPPELL PRIVATE AFTER PARTY
    • DC SWIM WEEK 2019
    • GEORGETOWN FASHION SHOW 2019
  • CUISINE
    • JESSE SEWARD CHEF EXTRAORDINAIRE
    • JEMMALYN HEWITT
    • LOUBNA ENNADIR "Thermomix"
    • UTOKIA LANGLEY
    • GRACE COLLINS INTERVIEWS PACO CARRASCO
    • SWAHILI VILLAGE
    • JENISE'S KITCHEN AND WWSC CELEBRATION OF LIFE EVENT 2019
  • CULTURE
    • RICHMOND PUNCH
    • SISTERS 4 SISTERS NETWORK INC. 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
    • BARRY MORGENSTEIN 10/20/22
    • CHRISTIE BYNUM (WE WILL SURVIVE CANCER)
    • GIGI RILEY 7/26/22
    • MICHELLE VAN HAAS FITNESS TRAINER
    • ERIKA TEMPRO DETOX MESSAGE
    • CONVERSATIONS WITH MINGO 5/9/22
    • New Page
    • BELINDA QUEEN DISRICT 6 CANDIDATE PART 1
    • DERRICK CONYERS (SU'COY (PART 2)
    • THE COPA STORY
    • DANILA RODRIGUES FITNESS MODEL 1/4/22
    • KEN ROCHON, WWSC FUNDRAISER AT LAMBORGHINI
    • WALTER KIRKLAND 1/7/22
    • KEVIN WILLIAMS, 2020 "ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR"
    • ASK TIA! (TIA COLLINS ADVICE COLUMN) 12/16/21
    • LAVISH CROWN
    • JAS BOOTHE 11/16/2021
    • DERRICK CONYERS (SU'COY)
    • GWEN HURT
    • SIA M. FINOH 9/29/21
    • SUSAN SMALLWOOD CELEBRITY POLO & JAZZ 7/19/21
    • GILDA SYMEONIDES
    • ARIANA VARGAS (BLACK BARBIE)
    • NANCY ALERT
    • CHINA WILSON ATTORNEY AT LAW
    • TRESSY SHEFFIELD
    • JULIANNA YATES
    • JILL BRADLEY
    • KEMBA
    • ALLISON SUTHERLAND
    • KAROLA CAVAGNA Scout & Cellar Wines
    • TIA COLLINS ("The Real Modes of DC"
    • RASHAD MUHAMMAD
    • KNOIR
    • JESSICA M. GRAHAM
    • ROBIN PHILLIPS
    • HOW MUCH DOES THAT DOG REALLY COST IN THE WINDOW?
    • YA MINKO
    • THE REAL SOUTH AFRICA PART 2
    • ELIZABETH FELLOWS
    • THE REAL SOUTH AFRICA
  • PEOPLE
    • CARA & WILLIAM WEDDING
    • RON WEST 1/17/2023
    • LEZLIE DAY COVERS WORLD TOP MODEL 2022
    • JENNIFER WAKEFIELD PAGEANTS - AN INSIDE LOOK 11/22/22
    • ANGELA KALENDER, HUMANITARIAN
    • DARRYL SIMS, PUBLISHER
    • NATAKI SUGGS
    • BARRY MORGENSTEIN 2
    • SISTERS 4 SISTERS 20TH ANNIVERSARY 12/12/22
    • DR. NIECY FUQUA 9/1/22
    • CYNDI-LOU CARSON, MODEL
    • SUSAN SMALLWOOD 8/31/22
    • CECE ASHE ENTREPRENEUR
    • MUBASHER FAZAL (DR. MOBI)
    • DR. MARCHETTE LOCKETTE-SMITH
    • REARDON D. SULLIVAN FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY EXECUTIVE
    • DR. RENEE ALLEN 10/5/22
    • CANDACE JOHNSON (MY DIAMONDS SHINE)
    • ALICIA PRYOR, DNA FINANCIAL
    • ANITA HOPE (DANCE INSTRUCTOR)
    • PAMELA R. BROWNE
    • ARETHA BAILEY
    • DR. ESSIE MCKOY 1/2/22
    • JENNIFER WAKEFIELD
    • CHRISTIE BYNUM WSSC
    • FLORENCE KING
    • REV. DR. D. AMINA B. BUTTS
    • WALA BLEGAY (DISTRICT 6 CANDIDATE)
    • ARIANA VARGAS TEEN MODEL 12/24/21
    • DR. BO BEST
    • JEMMALYN HEWLETT POOLSIDE COOKIN/WECARE
    • CHERYL SHIVER 9/18/21
    • Untitled
    • ALLISON SUTHERLAND 8/3/21
    • DR. JAI 8/21/21
    • LORI CONWAY RAY
    • ANGELEE L. ALSTON
    • DR. SARAH RENEE LANGLEY
    • TRAE MCLEAN
    • LAURA DORSEY
    • THE HUNGERFORDS, 2021 COUPLE OF THE YEAR
    • SYLVIA TRAMORE MORRISON PORTRAYS JACKIE 'MOMS" MABLEY 6/10/21
    • SUSAN YOUNG 4/10/21
    • KYMBERLY KNIGHTON TAX PROFESSIONAL
    • ALEXANDRA LEVINE 5/8/21
    • ALYSON WILLIAMS
    • JANETTE OBENSON-AROGUNDADE
    • PANDEE CHI
    • ALESHA BROWN
    • SHARON JACKSON BULLOCK "Embracing My Sexy Sixties"
    • SABRINA WOOTEN
    • DANA HICKS-HUNGERFORD 10/26/20
    • TIA COLLINS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR
    • TAYLOR MADE
    • DIANA L. BROWN 10/19/20
    • FRONT ROW PHYLLIS
    • CHRISTINA BRICE
    • GAYELA BYNUM 7/8/20
    • JOAN ACHONG
    • MAYA CLARK "Indubitable Fitness" 8/10/20
    • SUSAN SMALLWOOD 7/24/20
    • DR. AVIS DEVEEVER
    • MIKELL 5/12/2020
    • THE SPECTRUM CIRCLE 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
    • ERANA & JAMES TYLER 2020 "COUPLE OF THE YEAR"
    • THE EUBANKS SIBLINGS
    • TAYSHA SHAW-DAVIS 5/30/20
    • CHELLY ROY
    • KATHI MUHAMMAD
    • JOHN WARDELL PHOTOGRAPHER
    • YOLANDA NELSON INTERVIEWS CHRIS THOMAS OF "RAP CITY"
    • TRACY LOVE 4/17/20
    • MICHELLE GREER 1/31/20
    • GWEN HURT SHOECRAZY WINE COMPANY
    • CHERYL SHIVER
    • CONNIE AMOS-PARSONS
    • DR. JOANNE CAREY VETERINARIAN
    • MIKELL REED CARROLL
    • SABRINA YOUNG
    • MAYA ROCKEYMOORE CUMMINGS
    • ANNA DEBOSE-HANKINS
    • GAIL KING 10/23/19 "All Roads Lead to Gratitude"
    • MARRIAGE CAN WIN
    • DR. RONNIE SIDDIQUE
    • JOAN ACHONG
    • SHARON PARKER
    • GAIL MARGARET KING
    • LEONARD DESHIELD
    • JANELLE JOHNSON 9/12/19
    • SETORIA
    • CARLA HOLMES COVER STORY
    • GIGI RILEY FOR MAYOR OF SEAT PLEASANT
    • EMMANUEL O. IRONO
    • SOFIA PELLEGRINO
    • KIMBERLY HICKMAN-BEY
    • MARGARET P. BEAN
  • JAZETTE
  • SOPHIA DAVIS
  • TIM BRADLEY
  • ALICE DOLL PART 2
  • THE REAL SOUTH AFRICA PART 2
  • GAYELA BYNUM AND WWSC'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY
  • ALICE DOLL'S BEAUTY SHOW PART 1
  • SPECTRUM CIRCLE 2019
  • KATRINA RAINEY
  • J. DE LOS SANTOS
  • RON COOKE
  • KAS FLANAGAN
  • SALOME AUTOLINO
  • NIKEA MARIE
  • DEBRA CHANDLER
  • LINKS LUNCHEON
  • WIPS UNSCRIPTED CHRONICLES
  • GRETA CHAPIN MCGILL 2/4/19
  • ERENA CHEBES
  • RICHARD FLEMMING
  • KEVIN GRANT
  • JAZETTE LANE-ENGLISH
  • HAZEL MITCHELL-BELL
  • CHEF MIA
  • LISA BUSH
  • GEORGE DINES
  • MARNIE IRENE JOPP 1/8/19
  • DR. RENEE ALLEN 2/10/19
  • SYLVIA TRAYMORE MORRISON 2/1//19
  • JIMMY LEE COMEDIAN
  • LAKESSHIA SLAUGHTER
  • MARK & KRYSTAL
  • DR. SHARON HARGRO PORTER
  • JANELLE JOHNSON 1/11/19
  • GIFT HUGHES
  • CARLTON HART PT 1
  • RYANN KELLY
  • FOCUSED MARRIAGES
  • CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
  • "GOSPELTEK"
  • VIVIEN ANYADUBA AGBAKOBA Part i
  • ANYA BY VIVIEN PT 2
  • CARLY MEEK (Cover Story)
  • JANELLE JOHNSON 10/22/18
  • HANNA JORDAN KENT
  • PATRICK AMARA
  • JESSICA SHIFFLETT
  • TRACY LOVE 9/12/18
  • BARRY FREEMAN
  • JANELLE JOHNSON
  • TRINA LOVE COVER STORY
    • MELANIE WEBB (PATE)
  • DANA DAYNE THE GIZ
  • ROSE HUNT
  • TRACY LOVE, IMAGE CONSULTANT
  • KENNEDY J GILBERTSON
  • TRINA LOVE
  • BILL HART TAKES FOCUS ON WEMODEL USA 2018
  • EMILY KENNERLY GONZAGA
  • Q ALLEN KING
  • CARLA
  • LIZ N
  • DR BERNIDA THOMPSON
  • MARNIE IRENE JOPP
  • MAIMAH KARMO
  • ANDREA ROANE PT I
  • JOSIE VALDEZ 7/8/18
  • YOLANDA & TARUS NELSON (STRIVE)
  • STEVEN GAFFNEY PART I
    • STEVEN GAFFNEY PART II
  • AMANDA LINTON 4/17/18
  • JAMAL ASHOUR
  • ANTWAIN DONTE' HILL
  • ROLL CALL CREW RCC
  • GAYELA BYNUM 1/6/18
  • JOSIE VALDEZ
  • MB DESIGN GALLERY
  • SPECTRUM CIRCLE AWARDS LUNCHEON 2018
  • MICHAEL LOMBARD
  • THERESA R. PROCTOR
  • NEW YEAR NEW ENGAGEMENT STEPHANIE WHITE 3/19/18
  • MONICA JONES DESIGNER NANALOLA COUTURE
  • ANCA BALINISTEANU
  • CATHERINE MARIE
  • KAREN MARIA ALSTON 2/6/18
  • STEPHANIE WHITE 2/22/18
  • TERRI JONES 2/2/18
  • JULIAN BRITTANO
  • CHERYL SHIVER 2/17/18
  • DANA DAYNE 1/17/18
  • BRIAN BENSON ACTOR
  • MARK MCKINNON
  • DR. MELANYE MACLIN, M.D.
  • DORIS MCMILLON
  • AARON CROUCH
  • JACKIE HICKS
  • LISA SPODEN 12/1/17
  • ERICA MAHONEY 12/11/17
  • GAYELA BYNUM 12/1/17
  • ELSA W. SMITH ATTY.
  • ANTONIO MCKAY
  • SANDRA SANTIAGO, ACTRESS
  • LISA SPODEN 10/13/17
  • MILAN 10/18/17
  • MELANIE GAMBLE Pt. I
  • SSB CREATIONS
  • GAYELA BYNUM 10/13/17 MISS GLOBE
  • SUZETTE MANDULEY: CYBER TIPS 10/1/17
  • THE OVERDUE RECOGNITION ART GALLERY
  • DANE E. CONNER ACTOR
  • ELISABETH'S BOUTIQUE
  • MARTA BOTA 1/28/16
  • FACIALS 8/4/15
  • NAKIA WRIGHT 9/1/17
  • LISA SPODEN 9/1/17
  • LISA SPODEN
  • GAYELA BYNUM 8/25/17
  • TRACI FOWLKES
  • MARTA BOTA 8/25/17
  • RONKE 8/25/17
  • DAWN HARVEY
  • REGGIE BELL
  • DANA DAYNE 7/20/17
  • JOHN MENSAH
  • "STAR POWER 2017"
  • VIKKI JOHNSON 4/17/17
  • THE SAVVY FASHIONISTA
  • LOLLY'S LOCKS
  • THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF POTOMAC
  • DANA DAYNE 4/17/17
  • ARTYCE DOZIER 4/17/17
  • LAWANNA HARROD
  • FELICIA GRAY
  • MARTA BOTA 3/9/17
  • VIKKI JOHNSON "REMEMBER TO BREATHE"
  • PAMELA REAVES 2/16/17
  • CHRISTINA
  • MARTA BOTA 1/17/17
  • GUISELLE RL 1/13/17
  • CHERYL WOOD PT 1
  • CYRENE RENEE
  • STEPHANY DEBERRY
  • RENEE ALLEN 11/8/16
  • ASHLEY CLOUD: 6 GREAT TIPS TO DEVELOP A SUCCESSFUL FASHION BRAND
  • JEREMEY PAUL
  • MELBA MOORE 9/25/16
  • JUDITH LEDBETTER
  • ANGELA STRIBLING
  • SERENE CREME
  • GAYELA BYNUM 7/12/16
  • SHANDA SOFABULOUS 6/19/16
  • MARTA BOTA 6/16/16
  • SOBE RESTAURANT
  • FOREVER MOORE
  • LATIN FASHION WEEK
  • TOURAINE LYNCH
  • We Will Survive Cancer honors Touraine Lynch as a 13 year Cancer survivor at a special Mardi Gras dinner at McCormick & Schmicks
  • DANA DAYNE 5/16/2016
  • MRS. DC AMERICA 2016
  • JOSEPH BRAXTON
  • GUISELLE RL
  • SHANDA SOFABULOUS 3/16/16
  • WARREN SHADD
  • SPECTRUM CIRCLE
  • WARREN CHRISTOPHER 2/19/16
  • SYLVER LOGAN SHARP PT2
    • SYLVER LOGAN SHARP PART 1
  • SHANDA SOFABULOUS 2/7/16
  • WARREN CHRISTOPHER PART 4
  • KATYA AVDEEV
  • SHANDA SOFABULOUS 1/17/16
  • MARTA BOTA 12/24/15
  • ASHLEY IVEY
  • PERNITHA TINSLEY 12/18/15
  • PERNITHA TINSLEY 10/30/15
  • WARREN CHRISTOPHER PART 2
    • WARREN CHRISTOPHER PT 1
  • DANA DAYNE
  • SUSAN SMALLWOOD
  • INGRID CAMPBELL WHITE 10/12/15
  • SIMON BECHARA
  • MARTA BOTA 10/31/15
  • LEGAL TALK 9/29/15
  • SHANDA SOFABULOUS 9/21/15
  • PERNITHA TINSLEY 9/22/15
  • MARTA BOTA 9/17/15
  • IRINA MOLOGOKO
  • PERNITHA TINSLEY 8/28/15
  • KEITH MIDDLETON Pt. 2
  • SHANDA SOFABULOUS 8/29/15
  • WERNER WESSELS
  • VIZCAYA SWIMWEAR
  • TRU BLACK 8/21/15
  • 50+ AND FABULOUS
  • PAM REAVES 8/9/15 "THE WHOLE TRUTH"
  • BOB PAFF
  • INGRID CAMPBELL WHITE 8/6/15
  • FLAMINIA GARIONI
  • GAYELA BYNUM JUDGES THE MISS UNITED STATES PAGEANT
  • MICHELLE GREER 7/23/15
  • JANA SEDLAKOVA 7/23/15
  • BILL HART
  • PAGEANTRY 2015
  • A TRIBE CALLED FABULOUS
  • BRETT JOHNSON ATLANTA
  • LOVE OF DANCE
  • PAM REAVES 6/24/15
  • HAROLD HAYLEY
  • TALYA VIKRAM
  • BRETT JOHNSON
    • BRETT JOHNSON'S TRUNK SHOW AT NEIMAN MARCUS
  • SHERRON WASHINGTON
  • TINDERBOX
  • ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL Pt.2 w/ KIMBERCY MARIE 6/11/15
  • RICHARD WRIGHT
  • SHANDA SOFABULOUS
  • CASSIE GAINEY
  • MEKEDA
  • ASHLEY JEFFERSON
  • SASHA HAILEY
  • MARTA BOTA "FOUNDATION"
    • MARTA BOTA "BROWS"
  • PAM REAVES 4/17/15
  • MARCELLA MOLLON WILLIAMS. CREATING YOUR PERSONAL LEGACY DAY 4/17/15
  • JANA SEDLAKOVA "CONFIDENCE" 4/17/15
  • ATLANTA SPRING EVENTS!!!
  • ANN ATKINS
  • ALVIN JONES
  • KAREN ALSTON
  • HEATHER FRITCHLEY SHUE
  • AARON D. SPEARS
  • TribBey
  • VALERIA
  • PAM REAVES 1/4/15
  • MARTA BOTA, ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES 3/4/15
    • MARTA BOTA'S BEAUTY TIPS TO BEAT THE WINTER BLUES
  • KIMBERCY MARIE INTERVIEW
    • KIMBERCY MARIE
  • CHERISSA JACKSON
  • INGRID CAMPBELL WHITE 1/26/15
    • INGRID CAMPBELL WHITE 1/21/15
    • INGRID CAMPBELL WHITE
  • BOB PAFF 2/25/16
  • ELENA
  • JENNIFER BRANDE
  • DARISE DEAL ON TWITTER
  • SEAN FOSTER
  • XMAS IN NEW YORK
    • MARTA BOTA BEHIND THE SCENES >
      • RED CARPET MAKEUP
      • MAKEUP MAGIC
      • MAKEUP FOR TRAVEL
  • HAYDEN
  • THE FASHIONABLE WORLD OF PAMELA REAVES
  • SARAH D. BELL
  • DUBAI
  • PREMIERE OF CITY OF LOST SOULS
  • JANA SEDLAKOVA
  • JEFF GALLO
  • GREGORY TAYLOR
  • FELICIA FLAHERTY
  • MICHAEL LILLY
  • METAMORPHOSIS
  • MONEY 10/7/14
  • MARSHA REEVES JEWS
  • PAMELA REAVES 10/7/14
  • SYLVIA TRAYMORE MORRISON
  • MONICA SCOTT HAYNES
  • PATTERNS 102
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There are few restaurants in PG County that reflect the elegance, style and taste of SoBe Restaurant and Lounge. This article will shed more light on this wonderful dining establishment and the proprietors Josette and Tony Simpson. 
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Josette Simpson
By Rodney Wayne Branche

PictureJosette & Tony Simpson
Copa: How did you both meet?

Josette: Tony (Anthony Ray Simpson) and I met through a mutual friend. He’s a businessman who doesn’t live in the area but he frequently comes to the area for business with the U.S. Government. He met Tony first, separate from me, and then I met this wonderful gentleman later. I was single at the time and he asked me, “How could you be single?” He told me that he had this friend that he would like to introduce me to. Tony and I talked over the phone within a week or so after that exchange. We have been inseparable ever since then.

Copa: Where are you from?

Josette: I was born in New York. My family moved to North Carolina when I was in junior high. I finished high school in North Carolina and within a year of me graduating, I moved down to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1996 during the Olympics. I had a fabulous time in Atlanta and I was there for a total of 14 years. I completed college and graduate school, so I left Atlanta for both of those programs.  I moved to Maryland at the end of 2008.
Copa: How about Tony? Where is he from?

Josette: Actually, Tony and I have similar backgrounds. He was born in New York as well. His family is predominately from North Carolina. He spent a portion of his life going back and forth. His mother lives in Harlem, New York. His grandparents lived in North Carolina, just outside of Greensboro. He travelled often back and forth to both households. When you talk to Tony, you get that New York edge, but also that southern charm. So he has the best of both worlds, between New York and North Carolina.
Copa: When did you and Tony get together on the idea of establishing SoBe’s?

Josette: When we first started dating, I lived in Bethesda, Maryland and Tony lived in Mitchellville, Maryland. As I’m sure you are aware, there are many dining options in Bethesda and Washington, DC. When Tony visited Montgomery County for us to go out on a date, we had numerous options for dining experiences. However, when I visited him in Mitchellville, we had several limitations and I found that we were going to the same restaurants over and over again. Although the food was good at those restaurants, there was really no ambiance. I had become accustomed to nice, posh restaurants from being in Atlanta, Georgia and from living in the Bethesda/DC Metro area. It was very surprising to me that there was a lack of restaurants in that area with good ambiance, especially given the reputation that Prince George’s County has of being the wealthiest Black county in the country. This was shocking. Tony and I had this conversation frequently. I would literally drive 35 minutes to Mitchellville and then drive another 20 minutes back to Washington, DC to go to a nice restaurant. It became obvious that there were no options here. So as I met a lot of residents here in Prince George’s county, many of whom were Tony’s friends who had lived here all their lives, there was a common theme. There were no good restaurants in Prince George’s County. Everyone here accepted it. People would drive to Annapolis, Maryland to go to a nice restaurant, they would drive to Baltimore, or into the District of Columbia.

After a couple years of hearing the same thing, my husband, who is a businessman and had been one for 25 years, said he would like to open up a restaurant in Prince George’s County. He looked at it as a business venture, instead of a restaurant. He’s not a chef. He’s not wed to the restaurant industry. It was more of a business venture. I’m a task-oriented person and a bit of an academic, so Tony said he needed me to help on this. Neither one of us have a background in the restaurant industry. So, my recommendation to him was if you’re going to do this, provide something that’s actually missing and needed. There is no need to compete with the status quo. The restaurants that we have here are very popular and well established. People have been going to them for 20 years. I didn’t believe realistically that people would stop going to the same restaurants that they’ve been going to for the past 20 years to try our new place if our restaurant was similar to others. But if we did something different and more attractive, that would be a smarter business move. I was able to convince Tony to do something upscale instead of the run of the mill American style restaurant. After doing a lot of research and talking back and forth, we decided to move ahead with the project.
Copa: How did you folks find this great location?

Josette: My husband found the location. He believed it was central to several residential communities. Also, NASA has a campus of 10,000 employees. In addition, it is rumored that the new FBI headquarters will be positioned down the street from us. We like that it’s more centralized in the county near good businesses and good residences. The biggest complaint that a lot of people have is that if you do want a nice restaurant in Prince George’s County, then you have to drive way down to the National Harbor. That’s the very edge of the county. In fact, if you just go another quarter mile, you’re over a bridge in another state. If you don’t want to travel that far and deal with parking issues, you can stay centralized in the county and come to SoBe’s.

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Copa: How was the name "SoBe" chosen?
 
Josette: SoBe’s stands for South Beach. Tony and I have a condo in Miami, Florida and we go there frequently. When you visit South Beach, there is a dynamic that’s very specific to that area. People look a certain way. They dress a certain way. Dinner is always significantly later than the rest of America. It’s a very cosmopolitan, chic feel. Fancy cars, fancy clothes and a lot of very nice restaurants. We’ve always enjoyed the nightlife in South Beach. We were trying to think of a unique theme for the restaurant. So we felt that if we could bring the South Beach feel here to Prince George’s County, then people would really enjoy it.
Copa: Please describe to me the feeling of the food, the type of cuisine that you offer and its influences.
 
Josette: We call our menu American Fusion because essentially its representative of all the cultures here in America. We didn’t want to do generic America cuisine. We wanted to do something very consistent with the restaurant theme of South Beach. If you go to South Beach, you will notice that it’s extremely diverse, with all nationalities. South Beach is on the water, so we knew we had to have a very strong seafood component. We also looked for culturally diverse menu options. You’ll see Cuban, Latin, Caribbean, and Asian influences to be consistent with the theme of multiculturalism… and of course Maryland Crab cakes!
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Photography by Kevin D. Fennell
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Copa: How does SoBe blend in with the community around it? What are your views on that by design?
 
Josette: The most common thing that I hear from our patrons is thank you for building this place. We really needed it. There were no Black-owned establishments in Prince George’s County that catered to the more sophisticated clients here in PG county. Everyone was tired of leaving their communities, going to Baltimore or Annapolis and spending money there. They were very grateful to have a place in their neighborhood where they could come. There’s a real sense of pride in supporting Black owned businesses in this community. The patrons will tell us that they are coming specifically because they want to support our business. We’ve had an enormous amount of support from the county and the residents of Prince George’s County.
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Tony & Josette attending a Ciroc event with "Puffy."
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The lounge area of SoBe Restaurant
Copa: What does the future hold for SoBe Restaurant and Lounge with Josette and Tony Simpson?
 
Josette: We are trying to stay consistent to what we promised, which is to provide an upscale restaurant with a high level of service and high-quality food. We have received a lot of feedback that people would like to hear live music while they dine. So we are considering having a jazz ensemble on Saturday nights. In terms of Josette and Tony, we are hoping to stabilize the restaurant with a strong management staff. We both have separate careers outside of SoBe’s. So we would like the restaurant to be managed by our management staff, and we’d like to pursue our other interests, and maybe even get some vacation time in!
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Josette Simpson

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We hope to see you there!

Rodney Wayne Branche
Publisher/Editor-In-Chief
Copa Style Magazine


Sobe Restaurant
10621 Greenbelt Road Suite 201
Lanham Maryland 20706

http://www.soberestaurantandlounge.com/
Phone: 240.334.2819
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~Copa