Shoptalk
Interviews with the creators of our favorite shops, brands, and products.
A Neighborhood Restaurant Perseveres
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | The owners of Popina, an Italian-Southern eatery on the Columbia Waterfront, weather COVID with multiple pivots and a giant backyard.
In the East Village, Proof that it Takes a Village
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | The duo behind East Village Vintage Collective relied on their neighbors to make it through the worst of the pandemic.
Betting on “The Underdog of Food”
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | Meet the woman behind Tart, a small-batch vinegar brand that popped off in lockdown.
Pizza to the Rescue
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A wine and cheese bar in Williamsburg pulls through COVID with a pizza pivot.
The Latest
A Park Slope Nightclub Commits to Survival
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | After a year without in-person shows, Barbès returns to what it does best: bringing people together around live music.
To Cure the COVID Blues, Get Crafty
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | After pausing IRL events for the foreseeable future, a NYC-based crafting community found a new sense of purpose online.
Pasta With a Side of Progress
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In the LES, a Roman-inspired restaurant rejects the industry’s “bluntly toxic” working conditions.
A Sweet Respite Reopens
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In the Lower East Side, a decades-old candy store survives, thanks to loyalists around the country.
Weary but Unwavering: A Community Skate Shop Holds On
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | The owners of Uncle Funkys Boards fight to protect their business — and their community.
This Female Founder Is Making Space for Underrepresented Designers
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | You probably won’t recognize most of the labels at this new retail concept — and that’s the whole point.
In Soho, a Family-Owned Pharmacy Perseveres
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A downtown staple since 1994, Thompson Alchemists survived the pandemic by providing personal service in a big-box world.
Bitters, Botanicals, and Balance
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In Brooklyn, a small batch Italian spirits brand pops off.
The Salon Model Is Broken. Meet the Woman Who’s Fixing It.
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In Soho, a fashion industry vet turned esthetician is putting artists first.
A New Kind of Cafe Built by “Three Broke Kids”
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In Crown Heights, these Partners Coffee alums are building a business where community always comes first.
You Had Me at Fish and Chips
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In the West Village, a buzzy English restaurant brings the community together with the “perfect food” — and plenty of purpose.
Moving Forward, at a Slower Pace
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A Gowanus gift shop reopens on its own terms.
A Floral Studio in Full Bloom
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | After halting business at the beginning of the pandemic, Karla Smith-Brown reimagined her Brooklyn floral studio for perennial growth.
As Restrictions Lift, An Indie Gym Owner Sticks To Private Sessions
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In Rockaway Beach, Monice Small is building a dedicated fitness community — one personal training session at a time.
A Brooklyn Diner Looks Ahead
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | Thanks to a new federal grant, Rosalu Diner lives to see another day as a neighborhood mainstay.
A Burlesque Bastion Is Back
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | After 14 months of darkness, The Slipper Room in the LES turns the lights back on.
A One-Woman Bakery Rises
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In her Clinton Hill apartment, Carla Finley hits her sourdough stride.
Clay Therapy
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In Prospect Heights, a ceramics studio taps into the wellness benefits of clay.
One Corner Store, Two Immigrant Legacies
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In Greenpoint, a Lebanese-American chef takes over a beloved deli from his neighbor.
No More Retail Small Talk
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | After being closed for months, a sustainable womenswear shop in Fort Greene finds a new level of connection with customers.
One Year Later
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | Checking in with the wine bar that helped launch this column.
Natural Wine + Records + Dog Treats = Brick-and-Mortar Bliss
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A small natural wine shop in Clinton Hill goes beyond no-intervention bottles.
Soup for the Community Soul
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A Brooklyn creative studio is connecting restaurants, diners, and wine shops over the classic comfort food.
Sunny Earrings for Dark Times
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | While on furlough, a Brooklyn-based textile designer used her free time to launch a jewelry line.
Pick-Up Pastries Hit the Sweet Spot
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | If not for the pandemic, Joy Cho wouldn’t have launched a business this early in her career.
A One-Woman Plant Shop Blooms
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | From her Brooklyn apartment, Katherine Hernandez delivers indoor greenery to homebound New Yorkers.
An Old-School Soda Fountain Imagines a New Business Model
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In Carroll Gardens, a sibling-owned sundae spot gears up for a post-COVID world.
Brooklyn Movie Theater Hangs in Limbo
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | With no city guidance on when or how to reopen, Cobble Hill Cinemas eats through its savings to hang on.
The Perpetual Pivot
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In the East Village, a pair of natural wine-focused restaurants shapeshift through the pandemic.
A Beloved Brooklyn Pie Shop Keeps the Oven On
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | This sister-run bakery is committed to serving affordable treats in hard times.
A Boutique Grows in Astoria
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | Opened in the height of COVID-19, this eco- and socially conscious gift shop is moving forward one day at a time.
"Never, never, never give up."
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A bookstore dedicated to Winston Churchill takes his immortal words to heart.
Can a Restaurant Be Pandemic-Proof?
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | This new Crown Heights eatery embraces COVID-era constraints.
“The name of the game is adapt”
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A multi-hyphenate record shop in Carroll Gardens digs deep to survive.
A Vegan Cheesemonger Moves Online
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | With virtually no foot traffic, Manhattan’s Riverdel Cheese pivots to delivery.
Launching One Business While Closing Another
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A Brooklyn-based entrepreneur makes tough calls to stay afloat.
Yoga for All (on YouTube)
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | Brooklyn’s Greene Moments Studio is breaking down yoga barriers with free online classes.
A Bushwick Nightclub Reaffirms Its Values
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | The pandemic has pushed House of Yes to become “more than a nightclub.”
Keep on Shufflin’
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | How a shuffleboard club in Brooklyn and Chicago is staying in motion.
An Indie Self-Care Brand Hits its Stride
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | After halting production in March, Alexandra Winbush got new life — and hit new roadblocks.
“The art world is not fair”
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | How a contemporary gallery in Bed-Stuy is leveling the playing field.
Slam Poetry in the Zoom Era
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A Lower East Side cultural icon reimagines live performance while fighting to survive.
All the World’s an App
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A theater in Williamsburg moves entirely online.
“You can only have so many Zoom shows”
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A pair of nightlife venues in Gowanus struggles to survive.
A 20-Year-Old Burlesque Club Goes Dark (for Now)
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | How The Slipper Room is trying to make it to the other side.
The Business of Board Games
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | How a beloved Greenwich Village cafe is staying in play.
A Legacy Dive Bar Turns to Pizza
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | After over two decades of cheap drinks and peanuts, Botanica is seriously upping its fare game.
Experiential Retail’s Latest Act
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | How a Williamsburg concept store is forging ahead, one pop-up at a time.
They’re Still Dancing
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | How a community dance org in Brooklyn is keeping class in session.
Opening a Business During a Pandemic
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | The owner of Buy Better Foods, a new organic market in Bed-Stuy, on tackling this daunting challenge.
Cookies to the Rescue
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | Diana Ho is keeping her indie shop afloat with some sweet subscriptions.
An Arts Org in Park Slope Tackles the Digital Divide
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | The Brooklyn Arts Exchange is making the digital shift.
A Brooklyn Nursery Finds New Life in Lockdown
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | How Natty Garden pivoted in the wake of COVID-19.
A Fort Greene Café Takes On Phase 2
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | Baba Cool is taking over two parking spaces to serve dine-in (er, dine-“out”) customers.
An Indie Yoga Studio Goes Global
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | In the midst of a pandemic, BK Yoga Club is doubling down on its mission.
How a Brooklyn Eatery Nearly Doubled Its Staff
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | For Mekelburg’s, the pandemic necessitated a whole new business model.
Sex Toys and Puzzles: Two Sides of the Same Coin
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | Sex toy sales are booming — here’s why, according to Lisa Finn of Babeland in NYC.
A Small Business Activist Fights Her Toughest Battle Yet
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | The owner of Whisk in downtown Brooklyn is taking on the big banks, the tech titans, and COVID-19 repercussions.
How Do You Sell a Dress in a Pandemic?
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | A feminist boutique in Brooklyn fights to survive.
A Beloved Skate Shop Struggles to Keep Rolling
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | To save their business, the owners of Uncle Funkys Boards are making tough calls.
It’s OK Not to Be OK
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | Kalima DeSuze of Cafe con Libros is doing her best to stay in business, but it’s not easy.
This East Village Bar Now Sells Yogurt
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | How ABC Beer Co. is diversifying to survive.
We All Need the Perfect Cocktail Right Now
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | How a Clinton Hill wine shop is keeping customers safe and sated.
Finding Community in Isolation
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | With her vintage boutique closed for the foreseeable future, Su Beyazit is hopeful for a better tomorrow.
A Brooklyn Wine Bar Rises to the Moment
COVID-19 #SmallBizSpotlight | This Fort Greene wine bar is leading a community revolution.
Pleasure, Empowerment, and Style from Rianne S
The Dutch sex toy brand’s founder believes ‘women deserve beautiful sex toys.'
With Jabra, It’s All About Fit And Comfort
Copenhagen's optimism just might be reflected in Jabra’s headphones.
Global Cutlery: A Nexus of “German Durability, Italian Design and Japanese Precision”
The Japanese knife brand designs from a global mindset.
Rising Rents and Crippling Property Taxes: A NYC Small Business Owner Weighs In (and Moves Out)
Why Whisk, a beloved kitchenware boutique founded in Brooklyn, closed two storefronts in two months.
Babeland: A Shop for Books, Candles, and Butt Plugs
Babeland, a sex toy brand with shops in NYC and Seattle, offers something for everyone—whether you’re on your first or fiftieth visit.
Village Grannies: A Smoke Shop, Art Gallery, and Living Room All in One
Village Grannies in downtown Manhattan looks and feels unlike any other smoke shop you’ve been inside.
Sprout Home is on a Mission to Spread ‘Plant Love’
At Sprout Home, an indie garden center with locations in Williamsburg and Chicago, a green thumb is welcome—but not required.
How Dipstick Vapes Dove into the Hardware World
The mission-driven vaporizer brand that isn’t afraid to align with cannabis culture.
With Linx Vapor, There’s No Smoke and Mirrors
The Orange County company is making health nut-approved vaporizers.
Tenga Seeks to 'Change the Conversation Around Masturbation'
The Japanese adult toy brand creates products that aren’t embarrassing to buy.
At Peru Pima, It’s All in the Family
This family-owned textile brand from Peru is making it in America—all by word of mouth.
Flying With “Phone-Free Music” From Fitbit
The company known for smartwatches wants to soar above the neck.
Get Educated on Getting Off at Babeland
The 25-year-old sex toy brand puts education first.
A Seattle Authority on Specialty Coffee Tools Talks Coffee Culture
Espresso Supply, Inc. has grown along with American tastes.
Garden of Life Listens to Your Gut
The supplement brand believes digestive health is at the root of overall health.
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance Protects Pets ‘Against the Unexpected’
The pet insurance company offers flexible plans for whatever life may have in store.
Tomorrow Sleep Mattresses Perform, So You Can, Too
Innovation is ingrained in the startup’s DNA.
‘The Actual Industry Has a Problem’: Lemonade Isn’t Marketing Insurance Fluff
The speedy startup is guaranteeing money back with few (or no) questions. Just ask the bot.
At Merrick, Pets are Family
The Texas-based pet food brand believes man’s best friend should dine on the best.
Lelo Sex Toys: the Ultimate Birthday Presents
Maybe not for your mom, but definitely for your girlfriend.
Making Renters Insurance Easier with Nationwide Insurance
For less than $20 a month, the average renter can protect nearly $30K in personal property.
Looking for A Good Night’s Sleep? Go to Craig’s Beds
Craig Fruchtman just wants you to be comfortable.
Mr. Black is Mixing up the Coffee Cocktail
Forget the White Russian—there’s a lot more you can do with coffee liqueur.
Dame Sex Toys: For Women, By Women
The women-led sex toy brand aims to fill the “pleasure gap” in heterosexual intimacy.
Eight Sleep Believes that If You Build Your Own Mattress, Sleep Will Come
The company created a customizable mattress and introduced an AI coach—all in pursuit of optimization.
From Coast to Coast With Farmers Insurance
Potential lawsuits are everybody’s problem, and you probably own more than you think.
Cyndi Ramirez and Adam Fulton, by their own admission, met in “a hopeless place.”
The New York City nightlife duo discuss candles, leather jackets, and the branding for their own wedding.
Cuisinart: The Legacy Brand That Keeps On Innovating
The company that introduced America to the food processor continues to engineer novel solutions for at-home chefs.
Embrace: a Pet Insurance Policy that Makes Sense
The Cleveland, OH-based company aims to be ‘more than just a safety net for your budget.’
Luggage, Minus the Baggage: Andiamo’s Effortless Style
The legacy luggage brand is catering to a new kind of traveler.