Photo by Marck Benjamin / Facebook

Rockaway residents are surrounded by hard-working local business owners who are a source of inspiration to get up and seize the day. This week, we chatted with Marck H. Benjamin, a Rockaway native and the owner of Soul Exchange Bistro & Wine Bar on Doughty Boulevard.

The Grand Opening on Oct. 4 was a dream come true for Benjamin, who always wanted to own a restaurant that brings the soul, mind & spirits together via good food and great tunesnot to mention a high level of family-style customer service.

With its fusion of Caribeean, Asian, and Mediterranaen cuisine, the Soul Exchange Bistro & Wine Bar does just that. Benjamins inclusion of music like cool jazz, caribbean tunes, old school hip hop and other flavorful music in his restaurant has definitely contributed to a laid-back, classy atmosphere.

Our philosophy is to soulfully remind you of how to enjoy life, Benjamin told The Wave. Wine Glasses Up, that is the Soul Exchange Motto!

Running a business in nearby Inwood, he acknowledged that the Rockaway community is very close to his heart: I grew up here and my family still resides here, Benjamin explained. I always promised to come back and give back to my neighborhood.

That ambition is alive and well today and Benjamin hopes to expand his business on the peninsula once his newest venture gets into full swing, adding that is definitely the goal. He urged other like-minded entrepreneurs to stay focussed and follow their dreams. But like all business owners, he has also encountered challenges along the way, however.

Marketing and getting people to know what we have to offer [has been a challenge], he said. But given the turn out at the opening and beyond, the hard work has paid off. Benjamin hoped that other small businesses will follow suit right here in Rockaway as the revitalization gets into full swing; he called for more eclectic shops and bistros like Manhattan and Astoria and Brooklyn.

Why should we have to go there when we can have it here, Benjamin enthused. Rockaway will be the new Hamptons!

Soul Exchange Bistro & Wine Bar is open everyday from 4.30 p.m. to 11 p.m. and located at 233 Doughty Blvd, Inwood, a five minute drive from the Far Rockaway Mott Ave. Station and accessible via the Q114, n31 and n32 bus.

The rest is here:
Monday Motivation With Soul Exchange Bistro & Wine Bar - Wave of Long Island