There’s never a dull moment in the world of independent businesses in New York City. I wish I had a staff to adequately cover this vibrant sector, but for the time being, it’s just me.
THE IMMIGRANT HERITAGE WEEK AWARDS
The Accompany Capital Immigrant Heritage Week Awards was an unabashed celebration of immigration and immigrants, which would not be possible without Executive Director Yanki Tshering. It was the 14th annual Accompany Capital (formerly Business Center for New Americans, BCNA) Immigrant Heritage Week Awards. The nonprofit honors immigrants (and immigrant adjacent people) who have made positive contributions to New York City and several of their clients for their achievements.
This year on April 23rd, Accompany Capital had its first in-person awards ceremony, at least in part, since the pandemic and I was delighted to attend. The event is always a moving and inspiring experience. (And yes, Accompany Capital is one of Mercantile Mayhem’s wonderful sponsors, I’ve been covering their Immigrant Heritage Week Awards looooong before Mercantile Mayhem existed.)
This year Bhairavi Desai, the co-founder and Executive Director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA), received the Accompany Capital Economic Equity Award on behalf of the organization. Desai is a relentless fighter for the rights of taxi drivers, app-dispatched drivers and other for hire drivers. She was awarded her Tiffany & Co crystal glass apple by Julie Su, the new Deputy Mayor of New York City for Economic Justice. Desai always centers and credits the drivers in NYTWA, but Su said the award was all about celebrating Desai for that particular evening, the room seemed to agree.
Council Member Shekar Krishnan from Queens received the Accompany Capital Community Catalyst Award. Krishnan has been instrumental in decriminalizing street vendors who might face violations around permitting and fights for other workers’ rights.
The other celebrants included Onur Safak, who received the Job Creator Award. Safak owns several restaurants in the city including ZOI Mediterranean Cuisine. He catered the event and the food was absolutely exquisite! We even got to take containers home of the extra food!
Tenzin Nyandak received the Green Stewardship Award, Nyandak is the founding principal of Studio Nyandak, an architecture and design firm. The Made in New York Award went to Rafael Luis Correa, the owner of Zecca Glass in the Bronx.
One of two Accompany Capital New Beginnings Award went to Zarifa Adiba, a musician, writer and activist from Afghanistan. The other to Jawad Ahmad, a pre-med student and EMT at SUNY Binghamton who is also a boxing enthusiast.
Congrats to all!
IS THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN TRANS-ALT’S POCKET?
If Transportation Alternatives says remove traffic lanes and expand bike lanes, does the Department of Transportation (DOT) ask how many?
TransAlt, as it’s often called, seems to have gone from a pro-bike, pro-pedestrian advocacy group to a rabid anti-car advocacy group. The nonprofit has been involved with positive bike-centric initiatives over the years, voiced support for the Stop Super Speeders bill for example (free NYT article here). But TransAlt’s ultimate goal seems to be making New York City the most miserable place to drive an automobile. I presume it’s in the hopes of wearing drivers down to a nub and ultimately stop driving in the city. What I think will happen instead is that people will continue to drive—perhaps in slightly reduced numbers—and there will be massive gridlock, including emergency vehicles, with a soundtrack of constant sirens and honking. People need to drive. Many people can’t bike or take public transportation for numerous reasons, from physical limitations to carrying heavy equipment.
There are several recent plans proposed by “DOTransAlt” that expand bike paths and reduce traffic lanes. One plan is for 72nd Street, the other is for Lafayette Street/4th Ave to Union Square. The 72nd Street plan is somewhat well publicized and even drew a protest on May 2 over the weekend, but no one knows about DOTransAlt’s plan to reduce Lafayette Street to one traffic lane, from Prince Street to 8th Street (it’s currently two northbound traffic lanes) in order to widen the bike path.
The plan is to create a two-way bike path, northbound and southbound on Lafayette Street, which is one way, pedestrian islands, new parking rules with meters in some spots and several other changes around Union Square.
I am not familiar with 72nd Street’s traffic flow, so I won’t comment, but I am very familiar with Lafayette Street. Reducing it to one lane of auto traffic is insane. Lafayette Street north and south of Houston Street has become a “mall for influencers,” as I call it, already freakishly congested with pedestrians, shoppers waiting in long lines outside of stores and bakeries, there are cars, trucks, e-bikes, as well as taxis and Ubers picking people up, dropping them off, even double parking while the passengers wait in line. If Lafayette Street is reduced to one lane of auto traffic, the flow would come to a complete standstill every time a taxi, Uber or car picks up or drops off a passenger and when trucks load and unload.
Just in case anyone is curious, I’m a biker, I loooove Citibike (the blue ones) and ride them daily all over Manhattan and Brooklyn, I also take the subway and walk; I do not own a car. Yet I am still against this redesign. It’s unnecessary to reduce Lafayette Street to one traffic lane just to add a southbound bike lane when there are two major southbound thoroughfares nearby, Broadway to the west and the Bowery/3rd Ave to the east. In addition, there are fire stations on Lafayette Street just south of Prince Street and on Great Jones Street off Lafayette Street.
I attended the Community Board 2 meeting on April 28, to voice my opposition to one lane of traffic on Lafayette Street. Other opposing voices at the CB2 meeting were focused on pedestrian safety. Pedestrians often forget, or simply don’t know to look both ways before crossing a two-way bike path on a one way street. Many people at the meeting thought DOT resources should be spent on e-bike regulation, like licensing or enforcement, rather than a Lafayette Street/4th Ave redesign.
Others at the CB2 meeting were in favor of the redesign, a few live along the route, others just bike through. Other supports seemed to have zero connection to the area. TransAlt is extremely well organized, both online and off, and can easily mobilize its members. The chair of TransAlt’s board of directors Janet Liff, is also a member of the CB2 board. DOTransAlt does not seem to give a crap what anyone else thinks, from independent business owners along the streets to residents, and is hellbent on pushing the redesign through. I’m going to write about it more, I’m curious what companies fund TransAlt.
Since Mercantile Mayhem is not an urban planning newsletter, but rather an independent business newsletter, I’m going to report back with findings from business owners along Lafayette Street/4th Ave in the near future. I did ask for opinions from a FedEx truck driver, a yellow taxi driver, a Citibike van driver and a fireman who all work along Lafayette Street. None of them knew about the redesign plan or thought it was a good idea when I explained Lafayette Street would be reduced to one lane of traffic.
There has been some media coverage on the store owners along 72nd Street. Lester Wasserman who owns Tip Top Shoes said “Why are we trying to ram it through in the shadows of darkness?” to the NY Post, “Everybody I’ve spoken to never got a call and didn’t even know this was a possibility.”
The next Community Board 2 meeting about the Lafayette Street/4th Ave change is on May 11, 2016 at 5:30pm.
NORDIC AI NIGHTS
I’ll start off with a disclaimer, I’m half-Finnish. But, even if half my DNA didn’t come from way up north, I would still support startups from the Scandilands, specifically Finland.
Why? In an age when startups, nearly all AI, are impacting our democracy, it’s essential that founders be rational, civic-minded, humanist, non-greedy and non-power hungry individuals. Not to generalize, but most Finnish founders are quite down to earth and want to provide an exquisite service for their customers/users, without the need for world domination or the end goal of becoming a gazillionaire.
Some New Yorkers are becoming familiar with Finnish and other Scandiland AI startups at Nordic AI Nights organized by Tero Kuittinen, the area AI-centric Finn.
I first met Kuittinen at Slush in Helsinki many moons ago (even though we both live here) and I’ve attended several of his tech events since. They are full of founders, investors, lawyers, students, journalists, people working at incubators, universities and city governments, from Finland, other Scandilands and the US. Kuittinen also organizes Nordic AI Nights in Helsinki as well, usually in the “vaguely dystopian Radisson Red lobby bar,” as Kuittinen put it once.
Kuittinen’s Nordic AI Nights recap posts on social media are hilarious, peppered with “sicko energy” and “absolutely electric” descriptions. He also entices possible Nordic AI Nights participants to join future events, “for frank and occasionally acrimonious discourse,” and to “overcome your Nordic revulsion of social situations,” promising, “there will be no panel discussions, pitching competitions or ‘thought leadership.’”
I met Jani Penttinen, the co-founder and CEO of Bitmagic, a platform for creating games, at the last event. Javad Mushtaq from Norway (in fact, he flew in that day) is the Managing Director of C10 Labs’ NYC program, in partnership with New York City Economic Development Corporation.
For more information on Nordic AI Nights email Tero Kuittinen or connect on LinkedIn.
TARIFF REFUNDS FOR INDEPEDENT BUSINESSES
I wrote that I’d write about this topic, I’m still researching, but spoiler alert: it’s looking grim. Many small business owners say it’s just not worth the time and effort to reclaim tariffs. In the meantime, please listen to this NPR story by Alina Selyukh and this FT story by Aimee Williams. And spice company Burlap & Barrel is suing the federal government over tariffs.
PRE-CINCO DE MAYO AT LA SIRENA IN THE EAST VILLAGE
Outside La Sirena in the East Village, a group ate Mexican tamales made by Catalina while listening to music and making “diadama,” the traditional flower crown. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated to commemorate the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
La Sirena is a tiny independent shop that specializes in t-shirts, colorful embroidered dresses, accessories, masks, costumes, pottery, papier-mâché art and home decorations, all imported from Mexico. The owner Dina Leor opened La Sirena more than 25 years ago. Follow the store’s Instagram for more sidewalk parties in the future.
CORRECT DATE FOR NEXT NYC PLANT MARKET: MAY 24
I messed up, apologies. The last Mercantile Mayhem newsletter had the wrong date for the next NYC Plant Market, which I fixed. But just in case there is any confusion, the official correction: the next NYC Plant Market in LIC is May 24 (not May 27) 2026. I suggest any plant enthusiast visit, it’s free and full of propagation fun and frolic. I never knew there were so many fervent plant lovers in New York City, spanning all ethnicities, genders, creeds and ages!
I’ll take this opportunity to mention that when I visited the last NYC Plant Market, I randomly came across the Arellano Pandesal pop-up inside Fifth Hammer Brewing and had to take a look. Wow, what a lovely surprise.
Co-owners Jen Arellano and Kian Ahmadian had a dazzling selection of Filipino pastries and bread, I got the gorgeous green pandan number on the far right. Their Instagram mentions a special TBA event in the same space, same date at the upcoming NYC Plant Market, very iiiiinteresting.
CEVALLOS BROTHERS’ COPA SHIRT
The Cevallos brothers are a duo originally from Colombia/Ecuador, who have created colorful hand painted signs and posters for New York City establishments, from independent businesses to one-off events.
Carlos and Miguel Cevallos started painting signs in Queens about 50 years ago and later became in demand all over the city. I mean, are you really a NYC business if you don’t have a Cevallos Brothers poster? I photographed the sign below in Queens a year ago, without knowing they painted it, I just loved it. (But I subsequently learned on a recent post of theirs it’s been taken, which is sad. Maybe another story has emerged… PS I didn’t take it!)
The entrepreneurial Cevallos brothers, now in their early 80s, remain ever enterprising. They have created a wonderful “unofficial and unaffiliated” t-shirt for the World Cup this summer, click on the link to see it.
The the Cevallos brothers currently have a mural and other artworks on display in MoMA PS1’s “Greater New York” show. The Cevallos brothers have been covered in this 2022 article by Emma Orlow for Eater and this The New Yorker by Henry Alford. Want more Cevallos brothers? Yeh Art Gallery/St John’s University Press published Gracias A Dios: The Art of the Cevallos Brothers in 2024, which documents their extensive careers in sign painting, see a flip through here.
IT’S CLOSING TIME FOR MANY STOREFRONT BUSINESSES IN THE CITY
There seems to be a rash of storefront business closings, each for their own reasons. Caputo’s in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, known for their bread and cookies, closed after 124 years on Court Street. It’s been a family-run bakery for five generations. The neighborhood is devastated, read more about it here.
Tuan Nguyen is closing both Larry’s Cà Phê locations, the original in Williamsburg and the second in Park Slope. Nguyen announced the closures on Instagram, the comments are overflowing with love and support from fellow independent businesses owners and customers. The spaces will remain eateries, the Williamsburg location will be commandeered by Onigiri Noah and Yellow Pear Coffee (known for her outstanding corn butter mochi) will take over the Park Slope location.
Japonica, one of the earliest sushi restaurants to open in New York City in 1978, has closed.
Two Boots in the East Village is not closing yet, but the landlord put up “to lease” signs according to this EV Grieve article by Stacie Joy dated April 24, 2026.
HOW WAS MY EAST VILLAGE JANE’S WALK? THANK YOU FOR ASKING
It was wonderful! At least I had a blast, I hope others did too. One of the best parts of leading a Jane’s Walk is learning history while preparing. I never knew Ira and George Gershwin grew up on 91 2nd Ave, between 5th and 6th Street, now a Toy Tokyo store, back when the area was the Yiddish Theater district. I learned about the devastating impact the 1904 General Slocum steamboat fire had on the German community of Tompkins Square Park, known as Little Germany. It killed more than one thousand people, most were women and children. After the fire many Germans moved to Yorkville or out of the city.
Teresa de la Haba, the owner of McSorley’s, was the first woman to ever tend bar. McSorley’s had been a men-only establishment until 1970 when a supreme court ruling mandated they allow women; the first women’s bathroom was installed in 1986. And yes, B&H Dairy remains a vegetarian kosher cafe, even though the married co-owners are of Muslim and Christian heritage, from Egypt and Poland, respectively. They fell in love working in the neighborhood, Fawzy was a goner when Ola cleaned his glasses for him—a true NYC story.
Thanks to all the store owners who took a bit of time out of their day to talk about their business’s history to the group. Jason Birchard of Veselka and Andrew Ilnicki of East Village Meat Market even provided us with a few unexpected, delicious snacks, varenyky/pierogies and sausages. Take a look at MAS, which organizes Jane’s Walk NYC every year. Another excellent city-centric celebration (unrelated to Jane’s Walk) is Open House NY in October 2026.
Thank you to Mercantile Mayhem’s sponsor Accompany Capital. Located in New York City, Accompany Capital helps micro and small businesses with loans and free financial services. Please read about Accompany Capital, a CDFI, here.
Thank you to Small Business Majority, Mercantile Mayhem’s sponsor. Small Business Majority supports and empowers small businesses across the US with a focus on public policy. Please read about the organization here and visit their finance resource platform Venturize.
MERCANTILE MAYHEM SPONSORSHIP
I am still looking for one additional sponsor, three in total. This individual, business, organization or foundation must believe that independent businesses in New York City need to survive and thrive. Do you want a city full of just Chipotles, Starbucks and bank ATMs? No! Do you value the character that independent businesses bring to New York City? Yes!
If you would like to know Mercantile Mayhem 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 GALORE
Last call! It’s Startup CPG’s Shelfie Awards time! Deadline is May 5, 2026.
There is a little more time for the Bon Appétit’s Pantry Awards, deadline is May 31, 2026.
Last call, as in, today is the last day! The Vilcek Foundation awards young immigrants in the creative and scientific fields. It has nine $50,000 cash awards. Two awards will go to immigrants working in the culinary arts/food and beverage category and media and storytelling category. The remaining grants go towards immigrants working in the biomedical fields. Applications are open through May 4, 2026, click here for more information. RIP Marica Vilcek, condolences to her friends, family and colleagues.
The Brooklyn PowerUP Business Plan Competition is revving up for a new season, winners can get $20,000, $10,000, and $5,000 prizes. There are requirements, so read the FAQ. There is no clear deadline that I can find.
The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is giving grants for NYC small businesses to train and retain staff, reimbursing up to 60% of the training costs. There are rolling deadlines, but read the many rules, regulations and requirements here.
WomensNet offers a number of grants to women-owned businesses on a rolling basis, peruse grant information here.
Small Business Majority (yes, one of my woooonderful sponsors!) has ongoing live virtual webinars as well as on-demand webinars, check their events page here.
Start Small Think Big is an organization that pairs experts with small business owners for free to share their expertise. I usually list specific workshops, like choosing the right legal structure, or using NDAs, but there are many in the near future, you can peruse them here.
Welcome to Chinatown still has an open call for their Test Thursday program. The program allows emerging food and beverage brands to test out their serving operations and products, click here for more information.
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