Brooklyn Shop Stop

I spent some time exploring Williamsburg last Friday, and my experiences in the five shops and two eateries that I visited really got me thinking about something I'll call "shop etiquette." I won't name any names here, for the sake of being diplomatic, but my advice to all small shop owners is this: you need to be friendly and welcoming to everyone and anyone who comes into your store. Do I have a lot of money to spend? Hell no. Is there a really good chance I'm only going into your store to stealthily take photos and talk about it on my blog? Absolutely. In three of the shops I went into, my companion and I were greeted immediately in a friendly way. In one shop, neither of the TWO PEOPLE working so much as looked up when we came in. We browsed for at least 15 minutes and at no point did anyone bother to acknowledge us. Am I going to spend $40 on a t-shirt in your kitschy, overpriced shop, when you can't even greet me? Nope. In shop number 5, we were greeted but it was a little forced, and there was no music playing in the shop at all, so the awkward silence made me want to leave.

I think part of the problem with shops in Williamsburg in particular is that people get a little too arrogant. The fact that your target demographic (privileged young professionals with disposable income and no ingrained sense of financial responsibility) are easily accessible and will spend money on whatever they feel they're supposed to in order to maintain their lifestyle does not excuse you from practicing good business. Good SMALL business, to be exact. Because the whole reason why I'll go into a little shop and spend at least 25% more on something I could easily get for less at a big box store is the warm fuzzy feeling I get when I know I'm helping an actual person keep their business going. It feels good to know where your money is going, know where/how the products are made, and know that if you have a problem, the person who sold them to you is likely to be the person to resolve it. What is the point of spending more, then, when I go into a small shop that occupies maybe a 20x20' space and the person doesn't even attempt to engage with me on a person-to-person level? 

To drive my point home, I'd like to give out the award for BEST BROOKLYN CUSTOMER SERVICE to the Cotton Candy Machine, a really neat art boutique on South 1st. As soon as we walked in, the guy working the shop greeted us and introduced himself as Lyejm. We chatted about the shop, about what exhibitions they had coming up, small talk, etc. He was incredibly genuine and I felt right at home poking around the awesome prints, toys, and books they had. While we were thumbing through the books he even came around and showed us his personal favorite. These are little tiny acts, gestures of humanity if you will, but they make a world of difference. If he had sat numbly behind the cashwrap looking through his Facebook and ignoring us, I would have lost interest and walked out. Instead, I plan on going back and investing in a couple of lithographs to frame, and I definitely want to go to the "A Little Knotty and Dead Inventors" exhibit they have coming up in March. 

The Cotton Candy Machine!

I was VERY excited to see the Hickorees brick and mortar for the first time. The second floor space is beautiful, with huge windows and lots of light. They have lots of product there but still manage to maintain a feeling of openness. I bought an awesome bar of soap (via my previous sensitive skin post), as part of my crusade to see how many different soaps I can try before my skin just explodes into a giant rash and then falls from my bones. Happily, the Mountain Ocean "Skin Trip" Coconut bar soap did not irritate my skin. It smells unbelievable, lathers up really nice, and doesn't dry my skin out at all. I was going to use it sparingly, but it's actually so intoxicating that I've used it every day. It's made of all natural stuff and not tested on animals! 

Wondrously merchandized goods.

Massive Hill-side assortment!

Parrott Canvas Company tote, $85

The leaf camo tote from Parrott Canvas Company is the main thing I wish I could have gotten. It's Made in USA from Japanese cotton duck and has pockets for everything you could ever carry. I did get a sweet carpenter pencil with my soap purchase though. Hickorees knows how to do it right. They definitely get my stamp of approval.

We stopped by Joinery to see what they were all about. The store is beautiful all around, and it's obvious that a lot of thought went into every aspect of their vibe/layout, which I appreciated. The main thing that caught my eye was their jewelry -- a lot of natural/uncut stones with a big vintage/handmade kind of feel.

My last stop was at one of my favorite places in the neighborhood, the Brooklyn Art Library. They feed my vintage papergoods/notebook/paper addiction in the worst way. I end up buying things for myself and buying gifts for other people because somehow it's impossible not to. It's a very inviting place and the art librarians are always happy to recommend cool sketchbooks to look at. 

Sketchbooks from all over the world!

I treated myself to this little weekly planner that stands up and has a manila folder attached. Multifunctioning for my all-encompassing obsessive compulsive tendencies.

Apart from shopping, I had breakfast for lunch at the Rabbithole. It's truly an amazing little restaurant. The second you step inside it's like entering another world... a cross between Miss Havisham's house and an abandoned Victorian country home. They manage to make dusty and old look chic. 

I'll be doing a lot more exploring in the coming months, and now that a few relatively unpleasant customer service experiences have caught my attention, I'm anxious to see how associates in other Brooklyn shops behave. If you don't have customers, you don't stay in business. Recognize and appreciate the people who are patronizing your store!

Featured:

The Cotton Candy Machine

Hickorees

Joinery NYC

The Brooklyn Art Library

Rabbithole