Shoptalk
Interviews with shopkeepers, brand designers, and retail entrepreneurs. We ask the creators of our favorite shops, brands, and products how they get it done.
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.
The Latest
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.
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance Protects Pets ‘Against the Unexpected’
The pet insurance company offers flexible plans for whatever life may have in store.
Garden of Life Listens to Your Gut
The supplement brand believes digestive health is at the root of overall health.
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.
Travel Free With Away
The New York luggage brand rethinking not just how to pack, but how to travel.
Get Up Close and Personal(ized) with PAX Vaporizers
The Silicon Valley company hopes to revolutionize how we smoke.
Chef’d Wants to Be the Amazon of Meal Kits
The delivery service offers customers options aplenty.
Meet the Man Who Sells More Headphones than Just about Anyone
Mark Steinberg is the guy to listen to at Manhattan superstore B&H.
Healthy Paws: Pet Insurance by Pet Lovers
The company makes filing claims quick and easy, so you can focus on caring for your pet.