Welcome to my new newsletter about New York City's mercantile mayhem.

This newsletter is about the survival of independent businesses in New York City, with a special focus on immigrant-owned, storefront retail and CPG businesses.

Greetings! I used to write a TinyLetter newsletter about immigrant entrepreneurship that ended in 2019. You were likely on that mailing list, which is why you are receiving this new newsletter about NYC’s mercantile mayhem that includes immigrant-owned businesses. I’ll also cover storefront retail and consumer packaged goods, known as CPGs in biz-parlance.

I plan on keeping this newsletter free by getting sponsorship from several organizations, which will be clearly stated, I will keep you posted. (If you are interested in being a sponsor, please contact me: ninarobertsnyc@gmail.com.)

What you can expect from this twice a month newsletter:

• Links to my recent stories, like this New York Times story about savvy entrepreneurs who are making retail work, despite soaring rents (this free link should work).

• Links to interesting articles/podcasts/docs/books created by other journalists about independent businesses. This NYT article by Stefanos Chen and photographed by Ahmed Gaber, for example, is an excellent story about the lack of NYC permits for food vendors (another free link, I hope it works) that has created an underground permit marketplace and can result in a permit price of $18,000.

• Relevant photographs I’ve taken while reporting, roaming the streets or attending events. For example, the 27 square foot triangular space with an asking price of $5,000 a month mentioned in my NYT story, see below.

• Information about timely grants and competitions for business owners, like Brooklyn’s 2024 PowerUP Business Plan Competition as well as other financial resources for entrepreneurs, from venture capital to CDFIs.

• Opportunities that both budding and seasoned entrepreneurs might find useful, such as this talk on Upstart Co-Lab’s impact investing in the creative economy at Columbia University’s Tamer Center for Social Enterprise, among other discussions, lectures, classes and workshops. I’ll also list marketplace openings, such as this link for vendors to apply to Smorgasburg’s 2024 season, running April to October, among other events.

A few photos of NYC businesses that provide a bit of color in our lives, even if one photo’s purpose is to mock an outrageously priced commercial space.

Leather handbags and clutches designed by Tracey Tanner Studios in Brooklyn. They are made with Italian leather in rich, saturated colors, with glossy and glittery surfaces.

The 27 square foot triangle in the West Village with an asking price of $5,000 a month. What kind of business could use this space and make a profit?

Unregular Bakery (of Unregular Pizza fame, owned by Paola and Gabriele Lamonaca from Italy) had a Bombolone Fest recently at Essex Market. A team member holds up three bombolones, which are comparable to American doughnuts, but far superior.

Ciao Evènto, here in mid-demonstration at the Bombolone Fest, is an interactive pasta making company, they teach guests at parties and events how to make fresh pasta.

The new Atelier Jolie cafe at Angelina Jolie’s new boutique on Great Jones Street has amazing treats—orange olive oil cake or baklawa with rose water walnuts anyone? The food is made by the Eat Offbeat team, a food company powered by refugees.

I was delighted to see this hirudotherapy sign in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn the other day. I wrote about leech therapy in 2014 for the Guardian, a somewhat popular therapy among Eastern European immigrants.

This is my mercantile mayhem Instagram if you want to see more photos.

I am looking forward to writing this newsletter, please feel free to pass it along to others who might be interested in New York City’s independent businesses. And of course please let me know if you have any relevant grants, events, competitions or marketplace openings to list on the newsletter: ninarobertsnyc@gmail.com.

Thank you,

Nina Roberts