NYC shop owner lights up every time a customer walks in — and people are obsessed with his infectious love

A city’s true spirit comes from the people who make it feel like home. One New York City (NYC) resident, Henry Yao, recently went viral for his infectious smile and warmhearted attitude toward customers. The beloved East Houston Street shopkeeper, who runs Army Navy Bags (@armynavybags), was featured in a video by content creator Nicolas Heller—better known as @newyorknico on TikTok. The clip captured Yao greeting visitors with his signature enthusiasm, making each one feel like a longtime friend.

Yao has become a local favorite, earning praise on social media for his ability to brighten anyone’s day. Often described as the friendliest business owner in NYC, he has turned his small shop into a hub of kindness. As seen in the video, customers don’t just stop by Army Navy Bags for luggage or apparel—they come for Yao’s warm greetings. For years, he has made strangers feel like old friends. "For the past three years, I have put together a compilation of all the times I visited @HenryYao167 of Army Navy Bags," Heller wrote in the caption.

Heller, who calls himself the "unofficial talent scout" of NYC, has visited Yao’s shop multiple times—including on Christmas. Whenever Heller walked into the street-side bag shop, he witnessed pure joy and warm hospitality from its owner. In fact, the New York-based influencer was reminded to appreciate the little and momentary joys of life amidst the city’s hustle and bustle. Furthermore, the one-minute video showed Yao’s infectious energy whenever he came across a familiar face. “Oh! Henry.” “Nicolas!” “How’re you?” “What a surprise!”—these were the typical yet cheerful exchanges between the content creator and the business owner. Additionally, it felt like a striking scene straight out of a movie.

Across their nine meetings in 2024—starting on New Year’s—one thing remained constant: Yao’s excitement. He couldn’t contain his joy every time Heller walked through the door. Yao even shared that some visitors made his shop their first stop before NYC’s biggest attractions. “A lot of people say that, besides the Statue of Liberty, I come to see you first,” the business owner said. He went on to share how it was his honor to meet new people. “It’s such an honor. I’m not exaggerating,” Yao humbly replied, proving that true NYC icons weren’t just made of steel.

The video quickly went viral, racking up 22 million views and over 3 million likes. Among the countless reactions, @imm6rtal remarked, “I love how he takes few seconds to recognize him and just flips out when it’s Nicolas.” @ambergutierrez40 quipped, “How he throws his glasses in every time just to see Nicholas.” @1moon.child9 added, "If you live in New York City/Hoboken and New Jersey, go visit this man on your trip. Say hello and say that Nicolas sent you."

You can follow Nicolas Heller (@newyorknico) on TikTok for more lifestyle and wholesome content.