Reviving a diner, revitalizing a community: Chris Lewis blends success with service [Video]

MONROE, La. (KNOE)—In West Monroe, Louisiana, a small diner owner is doing big things—not just for appetites but for the heart of the community. Under Chris Lewis’s leadership, Coney Island Connection has become more than a local eatery.

Lewis, a proud alumnus of West Monroe High School, grew up just a stone’s throw from Coney Island Connection. When the diner’s original owner retired, Lewis saw more than a business opportunity; he saw a chance to preserve cherished memories while creating new ones.

Under his stewardship, the diner underwent a remarkable transformation. The walls now boast the school colors of his alma mater, and the diner’s seating capacity more than doubled—expanding from 33 to 75.

But Lewis’s impact extends far beyond the diner’s walls. When disaster strikes, he steps up.

During the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, and after a devastating tornado in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, Lewis took swift action, organizing …