The colors on the walls of Porchlight Coffee & Records might have changed since its 2009 inception, but the homey, DIY feeling inside hasn’t changed a bit. When owner Zack Bolotin bootstrapped the Capitol Hill shop into existence using, in his own words, “a budget equal to the cost of a car,” aesthetics were mostly […]
Michael Jones
Small Biz Interviews: Saving for a Rainy Day
The adage “Know what you do, do what you love” seems particularly appropriate for Freeman, a small Seattle-based company founded on a singular goal: design the perfect raincoat. From an ad hoc space in their own kitchen, husband/wife duo Scott and Brittany Freeman, well-versed in the rules of wet weather if not necessarily menswear design, […]
Small Biz Interviews: Groomed for Success
The repertoire of a barber might have changed over the centuries (they no longer, for instance, offer bloodletting and leeching services, as they did in the Middle Ages), but a couple things have stood the test of time: mainly the haircut part and a profound sense of community. Yes, since the Bronze Age, men have […]
Small Biz Interviews: Half a Century at the Drive-In
Dick’s Drive-In is no flash in the proverbial frying pan. A Seattle staple since Dick Spady, Warren Ghormley, and “Tom” Thomas opened their first outpost in 1954, Dick’s has been serving up old fashioned milkshakes, fresh-cut fries, and, according to Esquire magazine, America’s single most “life-changing burger.” Their customer base, understandably, is a loyal one. (So loyal, […]
Small Biz Interviews: A Passion for Pencils
The archetype of a pencil is fairly standard in the American mind—yellow, with a dark pink eraser nub, number 2 (and often required for standardized tests). Walk into CW Pencil Enterprise, a small shop in Manhattan, and you’ll find over 200 varieties of pencils from around the world. You realize quickly that you underestimated this simple yet […]
Small Biz Interviews: Anything But Your Average Hardware Store
There are few hardware stores that can brag of hosting 300-person art shows or can claim they have a pot-bellied pig parked in the backyard. Fewer still can be spotted in the background of Alexander Wang campaigns, models bedecked in expensive jumpers and coil chain. But Crest Hardware, a North Brooklyn staple, is known for […]
The American Dream Embodied
Ah, the American Dream. As the stories of sacrifice, hard-work and struggle paying off with prosperity appear to be few and far between, it is always inspiring to see the underlying tenet of the magnificence of America embodied in an entrepreneurial journey. You may have heard stories of your great-grandparents, or grandparents, or even your […]
Small Biz Interviews: Reaching for the Sky
Krissy Jones and Chloe Kernaghan opened a Sky Ting, a yoga studio in Chinatown, just over a year ago. Lifelong dancers, they both got into yoga in college as a way of training or managing stress, and met each other while studying more intensively under their mentor. Krissy and Chloe became friends, and realized they both […]
Small Biz Interviews: Build It and They Will Come
Architecture is a unique field that combines artistry with mathematical precision; it requires long days of bouncing between loosened up creativity and buttoned up exactness. Design too requires a similar blend of left and right brain skills—on the one hand, you need to find the right solution for your client at the right price, and […]
In the (Green) House
If someone were to say the phrase “urban agriculture,” quaint community gardens would probably come to mind. A vital resource, especially in major metropolises like New York and Chicago, these gardens usually contain a row of tomatoes, perhaps some other vegetables, and much needed green space—respite from the concrete jungle. In 2008, longtime friends Viraj […]
