Naala Royale-Holder opened the Caribbean restaurant Dunns River Lounge in 2004, leveraging her former expertise as VP of Marketing for a multi-billion-dollar food company. When the pandemic hit, Naala re-positioned the brand and doubled her sales, generating two additional income streams: a take-out and delivery business, and a competitive catering business all under the same 1,100 square feet. What began as a hobby is now a formidable business for 19 years. Dunns River Lounge has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has been featured in Newsday, on Channel 12 News and at the NY Islanders game, embodying the Jamaican saying “we likkle but we tallawah.” Now Naala’s mission is to complete her book and share her story with other aspiring business owners in her community.
