The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) is shining a light on local entrepreneurs in recognition of National Small Business Month, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, and Mental Health Awareness Month. These national observances offer an opportunity to celebrate the diversity, determination, and impact of small businesses throughout the District.
Business With Purpose: Recognizing Culture, Wellness and Growth in DC
Chef Tim Ma has officially opened the newest location of Lucky Danger, a brick-and-mortar restaurant located in DC's Penn Quarter/Chinatown neighborhood at 709 D Street Northwest. The new space, which opened on Wednesday, May 21, brings a full-service dining experience to the popular takeout brand already established in Arlington, Virginia, and Nationals Park.
A creative force in the culinary world, Ma describes Lucky Danger as a playful yet intentional homage to “American Chinese” cuisine. “We set out to build a Chinese restaurant by a Chinese person right in Chinatown,” said Ma. “As some of the older restaurants close, it’s important to show that a new generation of Chinese restaurateurs is ready to carry on the tradition and grow with the community.”
The name Lucky Danger symbolizes opposing forces, blending cultural pride with a fresh perspective. The location features a cocktail bar, a full dinner menu, and even a Mahjong parlor offering guests more than a meal; it's an experience that reflects Ma’s upbringing and identity.
“This restaurant is built on my Asian American experience,” he explained. “Growing up, we’d make dumplings, share a drink, and play Mahjong. That rhythm of life still exists today with my kids and their grandparents, it’s generational.”
Each Lucky Danger location offers a unique menu tailored to its audience. In Chinatown, customer favorites include chicken dumplings and spicy beef dumplings, with variations that nod to traditional flavors while embracing innovation.
By blending culture, cuisine, and community, Lucky Danger celebrates heritage in every detail, making it a standout addition to DC’s food scene. To learn more about Lucky Danger, visit here.
Inside Method Room: Where Movement Meets Mental Wellness
Method Room isn’t just a Pilates studio, it’s a space where wellness feels personal. Founded by Yasmine Reed, a former ICU nurse turned fitness entrepreneur, the studio opened its full class schedule in Spring 2024 and has quickly become a hub for movement, care, and community. Located on 18th Street in Northwest DC, Method Room offers reformer-based Pilates classes with a focus on individualized attention and lasting relationships.
Reed’s path to opening her own studio wasn’t a traditional one. “I was fortunate enough to grow up in the DMV area and actually began my career as an ICU nurse working at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore,” she shared. “Pretty much my whole career as a nurse was spent in the ICU. I worked through COVID and eventually became a travel nurse.” Her transition from healthcare to fitness was rooted in a desire to create a more inclusive and meaningful wellness space.
What sets Method Room apart is its intentional, human-centered approach. Every new client goes through an intake process that allows instructors to track injuries, goals, and fitness experience. “We want to know what your injuries are, and we also want to know what your goals are and what your current experience is in this style of fitness,” said Reed. “That is really important, and we keep those notes in our software so that when you're an instructor and you have your class at four o'clock, you could go and see your roster and have all those notes there to really know who's in your class.”
With 11 reformer machines in the bright, modern space, classes feel intimate, built on a foundation of trust and connection. “I think that what motivates people and what really keeps people is relationships,” said Reed. “And that has been something that's been incredible to watch.”
Method Room’s slogan, "Come for the method, stay for the community," is more than just branding. “One thing that I've really focused on, as far as the client experience, is taking pride in every person that walks in,” she explained. “We want to make it the best part of their day.”
Getting to this point wasn’t without its challenges. “I think the most challenging part is finding a space,” Reed recalled. “I’m completely bootstrapped, self-funded, no investors. So being a young woman saying, ‘I want to open a studio and pay you $10,000 in rent,’ was definitely a challenge. Getting people to take me seriously took time.”
Still, Reed says the effort has been worth it. “I’m not at a job where someone’s dying and everything needs to be done right immediately,” she said. “Now I can make time for myself, my friends, my family. I work long days, but I also do a very good job of cutting into those days in the evenings or weekends where I’m just present. I’m not on my phone. I’m enjoying life.”
To aspiring wellness entrepreneurs, her advice is clear: stay rooted in your purpose. “As far as why doing this is so important, it’s making sure it aligns with your purpose and what you want to do in life,” she said. “Because as a result, you’ll do more. You’ll get more involved, and that’ll push you to keep growing, learning, and building something with real impact.”
To learn more about Method Room, click here.