NORFOLK, Va. — Art covers the walls inside Homage Hall highlighting Black artists, entertainers, and athletes from Hampton Roads.
"We tried to keep it for the culture, pay it back to the culture to uplifting the culture," said Cheria Brickhouse, one of the Homage Hall owners. "That's really what it's all about. Like, if we're not going to support ourselves and uplift us, who will?"
Nine creatives started the business. It's a project they say took months of construction to bring to life.
"We had to experience it first before we opened the doors and let everyone else experience it," said co-owner Stefon Penn. "So there were many flaws, many things that we fixed, changed."
They just opened the exhibit over the weekend. They say it's more than a selfie museum but an educational experience.
"You learn about the music industry," said co-owner Raven Revell. "In the HBCU room, educational room, you learn about the Black authors that are from the area. You learn about HBCUs."
It's also a conversation starter on issues like Black hair and police brutality.
"So we want that to be a conversation, people be able to come in here have that conversation and be positive about it at the same time," co-owner Jermesha Williams said.
The exhibit, located inside Military Circle Mall, is a place where they all hung out as kids. They say it's the best spot for the exhibit.
"Initially we decided to settle on Military Circle because there was that nostalgic feeling when we walked into the mall," co-owner Travis Brickhouse said.
They hope the exhibit will bring more customers to the mall as they pay homage to those who paved the way.
You can purchase tickets for the exhibit online.