NYC's Mercantile Mayhem: Locavore's Business Owner Convo, Lisbonata and NuMarket, NYC Weekend Festivities, New Policies Wreaking Havoc and The OG Grand Bazaar
A newsletter about the survival of independent businesses in New York City with a focus on immigrant-owned, storefront retail and CPG enterprises.
We could see mayhem² for New York City’s independent businesses over the next few years because of new, potential, reversed, forwarded and then partially reversed only to be eliminated, federal policies, from tariffs to the punitive removal of the regional SBA (Small Business Administration) office.
I write about two new policies that may or may not happen further down the newsletter, but I’m choosing to focus on NYC’s independent businesses in this newsletter and overlook the more diabolical aspects of this era we’re living through, like the president shilling for Tesla in front of the White House.
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF OWNING A SHOP IN NEW YORK CITY
A star-studded event of industry heavies took place this past Tuesday, March 11, for those tuned in to the world of independent businesses in New York City. Caroline Weaver, the founder of The Locavore Guide and The Locavore Variety Store in the West Village, brought together 13 creative businesses (14 including Locavore) to Shopify’s Soho space that was a celebration of independent consumer businesses. They sold their wares and the evening panel discussed the challenges and joys of operating independent businesses, from creating omni channel businesses to managing employees who are also friends.
The participating businesses were a mix of consumer goods and services like Oval Coffee Roasters and Joni the verjus drink. The ten storefront retailers included Park Deli in Crown Heights selling skateboards, apparel and fresh cut flowers with a full flower service and Newtown HQ in Astoria that is known for selling the sought after Sonny Angel figures.
The term “panel discussion” can cause some people zone out entirely when it enters the conversation, but when panelists are frank, forthright and avoid “biz speak”, conversations among independent business owners are always fascinating. Panelists included Nilea Alexander of Marché Rue Dix, Aqxyl Storms of Minus Moonshine, Edy Massih of Edy’s Grocer, Katherine Lewin of Big Night and Lisa Chen-Smith of Yun Hai Taiwanese Pantry.
They talked about the art and science (my wording, I don’t know if they would exactly put it that way) of operating a New York City storefront business. Meaning, both the extreme care they put into every visual detail of their physical shops, creating the “vibe” so to speak, as well as the less than glamorous aspects of running a store such as the hunt for more inventory space and tracking purchase orders.
Nearly all panelists have multiple money-making channels in order to be profitable. The days of opening a shop in New York City and earning a living wage from goods sold are over for many storefront businesses, except for a select few. Most panelists’ storefront business is in conjunction with distribution, or catering, or robust e-commerce backend and/or multiple services under one roof. I will post some video clips of the panel on my ninarobertsreports Instagram later on. One aspect that surprised me is that many of these storefront business owners don’t talk shop, literally and figuratively, with each other as they are often just too busy. I think there needs to be another event planned soon.
LISBONATA LAUNCHES NUMARKET CAMPAIGN FOR CROWN HEIGHTS STOREFRONT
Brooklyn-based Lisbonata makes artisanal pastéis de nata, the custardy Portuguese tart pastry with a flaky crust. Besides the traditional plain pastéis de nata, Lisbonata makes salted caramel, pistachio and yuzu, among other specialty flavors. I tried the salted caramel and it was truly divine.
Founders Kamila and George Kaya sell their creamy, luscious tarts in Brooklyn pop-ups and farmers markets and will soon open their first storefront in Crown Heights. They are raising funds through NuMarket, an interesting platform that is structured for independent food and beverage businesses. Unlike equity crowdfunding platforms like WeFunder or StartEngine, business owners retain full ownership of their businesses.
The more I research NuMarket, the more I think its structure could be an ideal, even a “I-could’ve-had-a-V-8” way for particular types of businesses to fund a launch or expansion.
Launched in 2021 by Ross Chanowski in Boston, MA, NuMarket is straightforward. Whoever contributes money to the business’s campaign gets 120% back in credits, as in, a gift card or gift certificate. So, if a contributor gives $200 towards Lisbonata’s campaign, according to this handy chart, they get $240 worth of treats at Lisbonata’s future store or market stand. These credits are dispersed incrementally over months, so Lisbonata won’t get flooded with gigantic free orders all at once. NuMarket’s structure also gets customers into the store and tasting products repeatedly. If Lisbonata doesn’t reach its goal of $45,000, they get to keep the amount raised anyway.
How does NuMarket make money? They take nine percent of each campaign. For more details read this excellent Eater article by Emma Orlow from 2023.
THREE WEEKEND FESTIVALS SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES: NAROOZ BAZAAR, HOLI CELEBRATION AND SELTZERFEST
Norooz Bazaar: On Saturday March 15, New Yorkers can celebrate the Persian New Year Norooz at PomExpo at Detour Gallery in Chelsea. Multiple independent vendors will be selling edible and drinkable Iranian-rooted treats, like BiBi Bakery and Back Home Beer, as well as apparel, accessories and home goods, all to the backdrop of live music.
Starting at 7pm, the DJ dance party starts along with traditional Norooz festivities. The event is free but you need to RSVP.
545 W 23rd Street, 10am – 7pm
Holi Celebration: Also on Saturday, March 15, colors will fly at the South Street Seaport’s Indian Holi Celebration to welcome the spring. Besides Indian-rooted music, literature, art and dancing, there will be New York food and snack vendors like Maya Kaimal, Doosra, Chikka Chikka and others like Two Brothers Organic Farm from beyond. It’s free but you need to RSVP.
South Street Seaport, 11am to 2pm.
Brooklyn SeltzerFest: Get fizzy with it on Sunday, March 16, at the Brooklyn SeltzerFest. While the event is produced by the Brooklyn Seltzer Museum home of the Brooklyn Seltzer Boys, a fourth generation seltzer water business still going strong, please note the festival takes place at Industry City in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
SeltzerFest goers can sample all types of bubbly waters, from Liquid Death to Hal’s New York, and other quintessential Brooklyn products like Peter Pan Donuts and U-Bet chocolate syrup. Soda jerks from near and far will compete in the National Egg Cream Invitational for the Golden Siphon! Benny Safdie, one of the masterminds behind the brilliant movie Uncut Gems is one of the egg cream judges. Tickets are $36 for adults, kids with adults are free.
Industry City, Five Two A Event Space, 33 35th Street, 11am - 5pm.
TARIFFS AND PUNITIVE SBA OFFICE REMOVAL
And now for something completely dismal. While many people want to shut out the news for self preservation. (I mean, who cares if we are hurling towards authoritarianism? 😬 I do.) So even though it’s upsetting for many people, I think it’s important to keep tabs on the latest policies put forward, some stick, others get reversed, but I think it’s better to be informed than not. These are two policies impacting independent businesses.
Tariffs: On again, off again tariffs on goods imported from China, Mexico and Canada, or the threat of doubled, then halved tariffs, is nerve wracking for small businesses. Unlike corporations that can often absorb additional costs, small businesses operate on thin margins and a 25% increase on imported goods could break a business, small businesses were already off to a rocky start of the year.
Please read this informative article published in The City about tariffs impacting independent NYC businesses like Manny’s Bistro and Annie’s Ginger Elixir, written by Greg David.
SBA offices in “sanctuary cities” slated to move: The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that it is removing offices from sanctuary cities: New York City, Seattle, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Denver. This is punishment for being "sanctuary cities", you can read the press release here.
The press release also states a new policy that is “requiring SBA loan applications to include a citizenship verification provision”. It’s sprinkled with all sorts of "America first" terminology, dividing possible SBA loan recipients into just two groups: "citizens" and "illegal aliens". It makes no mention of people with green cards, various visas, TPS, which allow immigrants to legally work in the US and most allow for launching businesses.
The SBA has always supported lending money to those who can legally work in the US and meet the requirements to take out a small business loan (SBA lends to organizations who lend to individuals, but not directly to individuals) so the press release is just fist pumping PR for the Trump base.
The new SBA administrator Kelly Loeffler is a successful business woman in Georgia who is a Trump supporter. She was endorsed by Marjorie Taylor Green in 2020 when running for reelection for Georgia senate (but eventually Warnock won), posed (she claims unknowingly) with a ex-Klansman Chester Doles in a photo and vocal about her anti-BLM stance.
Scores of businesses in the US were started by immigrants and to have such an antagonistic press release that makes no mention of the immigrants who are legally able to work and at the very least apply for a small business loan, seems totally antithetical to the history of the US. I’m not saying the “American dream” has always been alive and well for everyone in the US, I think that’s a myth, but for Loeffler/SBA to be so hostile towards immigrants with green cards, visas, and TPS status, which allows them to legally work in the US, sends a clear message to immigrants.
NOBLESSE OBLIGE
People applying makeup or some other beauty regimen while filming social media videos gives me the willies, big time. But it was worth overlooking (you can just listen if it creeps you out too) to Vivian Tu AKA Your Rich BFF on Instagram talk about the concept of “noblesse oblige” (“nobility obligates” in English, but the French version is used). She asks, are the wealthy obligated to be charitable? Do the rich owe those less fortunate anything? Listen here.
IT’S ALIVE, IT’S ALIVE! ENTREPRENEURISM IS ALIVE AT GRAND BAZAAR!
On a positive note, there is always a concentration of smart, wily entrepreneurs in New York City’s marketplaces, including the Grand Bazaar on the Upper West Side. It was launched in 1979 and when I visited the market this past Sunday, located on Columbus Ave between 76th and 77th Streets, it was booming.
Outdoor tables and stalls, and some inside as well, sell food, crafts, antiques, both new and old apparel, accessories and imported home goods. According to its website, the Grand Bazaar is the oldest flea market in the city. I was surprised that vintage clothing prices were somewhat decent. (I usually like to spend no more than $6 on a used item of clothing, so that means I typically shop outside the city.)
NYC artisans make and sell gorgeous pieces, like Joan Huggard’s Citybitz jewelry that uses shimmery glass for earrings and rings. One line of her earrings even encases bits of peeled layered paint from the subway or city bridges in glass. Jason Murillo crafts dapper hats, Lartizan Leather imports Moroccan goods, shoppers can get Really Bad Portraits of themselves, Iris sells antique jewelry among other goods, Prince Peacock sells zany earrings and on this day the Filipino-rooted Djablo hot sauce and Heritage Bread Pudding had booths and Djablo even sold out of two flavors.
CALL FOR AAPI VENDORS AT INDUSTRY CITY CELEBRATION
The 2nd Annual Asian American Heritage Month Celebration and Night Market at Industry City takes place on May 21, 2025 and they are looking for vendors. Food trucks are $250, food tables are $150 and craft vendors are $75. They estimate 3,000 attendees. Last year’s vendors included Kemushi, Mas Budi Indonesian Street Food and Ombrato, among many others; apply here.
NEW YORK CITY SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES EXPO 2025
I’m planting the seed, it’s far away but on Thursday, May 29, 2025 the NYC Small Business Services will hold its second Small Business Month Expo. I went last year and there were many city agencies present, lending institutions—including Accompany Capital, one of Mercantile Mayhem’s beloved sponsors—from traditional banks to CDFIs and credit unions, city vendors, to name a few, I think it would be helpful for independent businesses to peruse. I’ll write more about it as information becomes available.
Thank you to Mercantile Mayhem’s sponsor Accompany Capital. Based in New York City, Accompany Capital, a CDFI, helps immigrants and refugees with loans and financial services. Please read about it here.
Thank you to Small Business Majority, Mercantile Mayhem’s sponsor. SBM supports and empowers small businesses across the US with a focus on public policy. Please read about SBM here.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPONSOR MERCANTILE MAYHEM?
Yes, I am still looking for one additional sponsor, three in total, the individuals, businesses, organizations or foundations that believe independent businesses in New York City need to survive. Do you want a city full of just Chipotles, Starbucks and bank ATMs? Do you value the character that independent businesses bring to New York City?
If you would like to know sponsorship rates and newsletter stats (open rates and such) please email me: ninarobertsnyc@gmail.com and I’ll send you the details. Please forward this newsletter to others.
OPPORTUNITIES
Whole Foods’s Local and Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP) is accepting applications from early growth CPG companies not currently carried by Whole Foods. Apply here, due March 19.
WomensNet offers a number of grants to women-owned businesses on a rolling basis, peruse grant information here.
Small businesses in New York City could win a micro grant up to $5,000 through CitizensNYC. Plan ahead, a new grant cycle opens on May 5, 2025, deadline is July 25, 2025.
Packed with useful info and loved the photod.