A Track Record That Spans Decades
Three Generations of Grit and Execution
Since the 1940s, the Lawson family has built businesses through real estate across Pennsylvania, from the Hotel Lawson in Harrisburg to AMP Storage & Studios in Pittsburgh. That legacy continues today with a hands-on approach rooted in resilience, resourcefulness, and a deep belief in revitalization.
The Entrepreneurial Foundation Behind Apex (1940s–2020s)
On-Site Operations
Multi-Venue Management
Real Estate Holdings
James W. Lawson, Sr. was a hands-on operator who managed staffing, service, and customer experience across every bar, lounge, and venue he opened. He didn’t just run businesses, he built community around them.
Real Estate Holdings
Multi-Venue Management
Real Estate Holdings
Pictured at the Wishing Well Motel, Lawson expanded into lodging and hospitality, adding motels and mixed-use properties to his commercial portfolio in Harrisburg.
Multi-Venue Management
Multi-Venue Management
Multi-Venue Management
He developed and managed a diverse portfolio of venues, including the Hotel Lawson, Lawson’s Palace, Wishing Well Motel, Lester’s Café, and Low Price Furniture. Each one served a different crowd, but all followed the same code: high standards, strong teams, and full control.
Lawson’s Palace: A Platform for National Talent (1940s–60s)
Lawson’s Palace in the Green Book
From the 1940s through the 1960s, Lawson’s Palace was a 300-seat national performance venue listed in the Green Book and recognized across African American publications. It hosted iconic musicians during the height of segregation, offering a dignified stage when few existed.
Legacy Performances at Lawson’s Palace
Featured performers included Duke Ellington, Nat "King" Cole’s brother Freddy Cole, and chart-toppers like Laverne Baker, Vi Burnside, and Tiny Davis. Lawson’s Palace became a known stop on the Chitlin’ Circuit, a trusted part of a larger entertainment economy that shaped American jazz, soul, and rhythm & blues.
Wynonie Harris – “Good Rockin’ Tonight”
In the early 1950s, Wynonie Harris was one of many nationally recognized performers who appeared live at Lawson’s Palace. These performances were part of a broader legacy of hospitality and entertainment that shaped the family’s role in the local business community. Today, Harris’s music, including Grandma Plays the Numbers, and Bloodshot Eyes still plays at the Carlisle Antique Mall. A subtle nod to the past that enriches the venue’s present-day character.
1990s: A New Chapter in the Lawson Legacy
Second Generation: Building Businesses Across Sectors
In the 1990s, Stan Lawson expanded his family's business legacy by launching a hotel, restaurant, and entertainment venue. He also operated a grocery store and acquired residential and commercial real estate, demonstrating operational discipline, hands-on leadership, and a long-term commitment to scalable growth.
Legacy in Leadership (1990s - 2020s)
Stan Lawson: Civic Leader, Entrepreneur, Trailblazer
Stan Lawson was a business owner, civic pioneer, and builder of opportunity. A U.S. Navy veteran and lifelong Republican, he broke racial and political barriers while serving his community and launching businesses that served Harrisburg’s working class.
Key Leadership Roles:
- First African-American Vice President of Harrisburg City Council
- First African-American Chairman of the Dauphin County Republican Committee
- First African-American President of the Susquehanna Township Board of Commissioners
- Longest-serving President of the NAACP in Pennsylvania
- President of AFSCME Union Council #13
Beyond public service, Stan served as a full-time employee of the Harrisburg School District, a church deacon, and a cornerstone of Harrisburg’s entrepreneurial community, managing Lawson’s Grocery, Stan Lawson's Palace. He also served on numerous boards and civic committees throughout the region, mentoring others through action.
APEX Financial Management
Built from the Ground Up. Operating Since 2006.
As the third generation of Lawson entrepreneurs, Richard Lawson brings over 80 years of family business heritage into a modern, disciplined model of real estate reinvention. What was passed down wasn’t capital, but perspective, vision, grit, and a long-term mindset for building enduring businesses.
He didn’t inherit a portfolio; he built one. Through a repeatable process honed by hands-on experience and a relentless drive for value creation, Richard has transformed distressed properties into productive, cash-flowing assets. Construction, renovation, and stabilization are all managed in-house, with no outsourcing, every detail is executed under direct oversight.
With a career spanning housing, self-storage, retail, and hospitality, his focus has always remained clear: to turn overlooked real estate into high-performing, resilient businesses.
Beyond business, his civic leadership includes prior service on the Executive Board of the Harrisburg Fair Housing Council, a nonprofit that has empowered over 14,000 individuals and families with homeownership education and down payment assistance. He also served as Treasurer of the local NAACP chapter and is a lifetime member.
