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Small Business Spotlight: Brooklyn Retailer Sees Sales Bump After Rent Negotiation
By Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Local retailers are hoping to see New York City’s tourism industry bounce back this summer and more commuters flocking to Big Apple office buildings. One Brooklyn owner was able to better position himself for increased foot traffic.
Douglas Grater, owner of Something Else, an apparel and home goods store with locations in Cobble Hill and Park Slope, told Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso on the WCBS Small Business Spotlight, sponsored by Dime Community Bank, that the Cobble Hill store has taken the biggest hit because it relies on tourist foot traffic from Manhattan.
“I mean you have millions of tourists that maybe 10 years ago would walk across the Brooklyn bridge, take a picture, and then reverse themselves and walk right back. And now, with Brooklyn being so hot over the last 10 years, it’s really cool to continue on into Brooklyn and the flow takes them right into our shop, which is on Smith Street,” he said.
Something Else in Park Slope is in a residential neighborhood. Grater actually moved one block where he said he gets “70 percent more eye balls” on the store.
“That move was a magical move for us because it just put us on the corner of two major streets,” said Grater whose store is now on the corner of Union Street and 5th Avenue.
The 30-year retail veteran was able to negotiate with a small landlord at the new location who was willing to give him a reduced rent plus a break while non-essential businesses were shut down last spring.
“So we probably got three and a half months where we were able to move, build a new shop, get ready, and then, the second we were opened up, then that landlord started our lease,” Grater explained. “By getting out of the lease, I stopped the rent at the older store and by moving to the new store, I didn’t pay any rent.”
He says he “got lucky” because he was a good tenant. On the Small Business Spotlight, Grater advised other owners to be respectful to their landlords.
Another key to Grater’s success was liquidating old inventory and being patient, knowing the pandemic will not end overnight.
“Understand that it’s not a day-to-day or a week-to-week or a month-to-month situation; this is a 5 to 10 year plan all of a sudden,” he said.
Apparel sales at Something Else were down 30 percent before the pandemic and remained low in the last year, but now, clothing sales are increasing as New York State lifts COVID-19 restrictions.
“I’m seeing men and women starting to buy more fashionable products than just sweats and stuff,” Grater said. They’re looking to go out even in New York.
They’re dining, they’re eating outside, they’re preparing to look good. I think there’s a lot of people out there that say, ‘I need to meet a significant other and look good.’ And, I see it ticking up.”The third generation apparel business owner told Connolly and Carousso dress sales are rising along with fashionable tops for men and women. That was not the case a year ago. Candles have been the top selling home goods item at Something Else.
See advice for recovering in retail on the Small Business Spotlight video above.
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Global Citizen CEO talks ‘VAX LIVE: The Concert To Reunite The World’
By Lynda Lopez, WCBS Newsradio 880
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The first large-scale concert for a COVID-compliant audience will be televised on Saturday night.
“VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World” aims to improve equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines around the world.
The COVID-19 vaccines have given a shot of hope for millions after an arduous year, but some nations are still far behind in the global fight.
The event will call on world leaders to step up for equitable distribution of the vaccines.
International advocacy organization Global Citizen, which is presenting the event, says more than $53 million has been raised so far in charitable and corporate commitments.
“When we set out on this initiative we partnered with the Ad Council and there was really two objectives. First thing was overcoming vaccine hesitancy by showing the power of science, showing that the vaccine is safe and effective, but the second thing we want to focus on was really ensuring vaccine equity,” Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans told WCBS 880’s Lynda Lopez. “So we’ve been calling on companies, calling on governments to step up in support of vaccine equity and donate dollars for doses or doses directly and I’m proud to tell you that through this campaign already, over 10 million doses have been committed to those who need it most.”
While watching the concert, fans who want to help the effort can visit GlobalCitizen.org/take-action.
“There’s two things they can do right now. They can actually donate doses directly, so for every $5 you contribute that’s one vaccine dose donated through COVAX which has also worked in partnership with UNICEF to get this vaccine to everyone on the planet,” Evans said. “But the second thing you can do is you can actually take action you can call on governments, call on the pharmaceutical companies to really step up and be more generous at this time because as French President Macron said every G7 nation should be donating right now at least 5% of their total vaccine dose to support those who need it most so we want to call on the G7 to step up.”
The U.S. government, for example, recently vowed to donate 60 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses to countries in need.
VAX LIVE is part of Global Citizen’s year-long campaign to “end COVID-19 for all, end the hunger crisis, resume learning everywhere, protect the planet, and advance equity for all.”
“This has really been a yearlong effort for the organization focused not just on PPE, but then on vaccine development and now vaccine deployment and it’s been a whole-hearted commitment to make sure that the world can get back on track to eradicating extreme poverty within our lifetime,” Evans said.
VAX LIVE will be hosted by Selena Gomez and feature musical performances by Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters, J Balvin and H.E.R.
“When J. Lo agreed to headline VAX LIVE she immediately said, ‘I’ve been passionate working with UNICEF for a long time and I want to see vaccine equity on the planet. I want to see that the Latinx community have access to the vaccine not just here in the United States, but in Latin America.’ So the only way we could do that is actually calling on governments to step up funding and so that partnership became critical to this advocacy effort,” Evans said.
Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are serving as Campaign Chairs of VAX LIVE and will deliver an important global message for vaccine equity during the event.
President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will also make a special appearance.
YouTube will stream an extended version of VAX LIVE on the Global Citizen channel for a full run-time of 90 minutes.
It will also air and livestream on on ABC, ABC News Live, CBS, YouTube, iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations and the iHeartRadio App, at 8:00 PM ET/PT, 7:00 PM CT. The concert will also air on FOX at 11:00 PM ET/PT.
Evans also promises there will be a Global Citizen Festival in Central Park this summer.
Produced by Neil A. Carousso for The 880 Weekly Rewind hosted by Lynda Lopez. Listen to this week’s full show on the media player above.
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Small Business Spotlight: Social Missions Brew Business for Midtown Coffee Shop
By Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Bird & Branch Coffee Shop on 45th Street and 9th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan is brewing opportunity for those struggling to find work.
“It’s just in our face all the time like the great need that New Yorkers have and I just felt like what I did either helping out at a soup kitchen or giving money were just very small Band-Aids to a huge problem,” said owner Faith Lee on the WCBS Small Business Spotlight with Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso, sponsored by Dime Community Bank.
Faith and her husband Brandon opened the store four and a half years ago not for a love of coffee but out of a mission to help New Yorkers overcome barriers to employment. They train mostly younger workers on soft skills that are transferrable to careers in retail and hospitality. Currently, six people work at Bird & Branch – down from 13 pre-pandemic.
“We allow them to sort of go through that process without the pressure of having to perform at the level we ultimately want them to perform at, but allows them to sort of grow into that space and I think people need that time,” she explained.
Bird & Branch Coffee Shop was awarded a $10,000 grant through Newell Brands’ “Made For More” Small Business Fund for their commitment in helping to restore the city through their skills training program. The makers of Ball® home canning products selected 10 small businesses for the grant out of about 2,000 applicants in recognition of those who have gone above and beyond in their local communities. The winners receive the grant, public relations support and exposure on the Ball home canning brand’s social media.
Faith was an opera singer for 10 years and Brandon worked in event marketing before they got into the coffee business with the help of friends and family who wanted to invest in their social mission.
“We were talking about it a lot to just our friends, random people we met, and every one of our investors actually approached us about investing,” Lee said. “We never pitched anyone.”
Sometimes the most effective sales strategy is not outwardly selling but letting one’s passion for his or her business shine through.
Bird & Branch is seeing a gradual increase in foot traffic now that some people have returned to work in Midtown offices more than a year after the pandemic ravaged the Big Apple. Their customer base changed in the pandemic from mostly commuters to Manhattanites living nearby.
During the height of the pandemic, they collected donations for breakfast meals they prepared for hospital workers. Lee told Connolly and Carousso that a number of her customers started inquiring about similar care packages to send their loved ones.
“We just started shipping out these care packages, which include baked goods that we make in-house as well just some other fun things,” she said. “People have been down or they haven’t seen each other in so long they just wanted to send their friends something and that has really enabled us to stay alive as well.”
Bird & Branch’s business pivot led to a full-time, profitable service.
See how to grow a business with a social mission on the WCBS Small Business Spotlight video above.
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WCBS 880 Weekly Rewind: U.S. Eyes a Return to Normal While COVID-19 Infections Remain a Concern Even for Vaccinated Adults
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Reopening the United States will largely depend on vaccinations against COVID-19. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is targeting July 1 to fully reopen the Big Apple. The 880 Weekly Rewind examines the keys to normalcy plus the details of President Joe Biden’s economic recovery agenda.
Hear deeper analysis of the top stories of the week and original reporting on The 880 Weekly Rewind hosted by Lynda Lopez Friday nights at 7 PM on WCBS-AM New York. Listen to this week’s full show, produced by Neil A. Carousso, on the media player above.
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Small Business Spotlight: Gyms Feel Weight of the Pandemic 13 Months Later
By Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — While people start to think about getting in shape for the summer, fitness gyms are struggling to stay open.
Indoor fitness classes in New York City are allowed at 33 percent capacity. Outside of the city, gyms may increase their capacities from 33 percent to 50 percent on May 15. Many gym owners say it’s not enough to sustain as the COVID-19 pandemic nears its 14th month.
“Right now, we offer in-person classes but also online classes as well and some people do both,” said Katie Muehlenkamp, Brooklyn franchisee of The Bar Method with locations in Cobble Hill and Williamsburg.
On the WCBS Small Business Spotlight, sponsored by Dime Community Bank, Muehlenkamp told Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso that online classes have only supplemented her revenue.
“I generally find that people either prefer one or the other,” she said. “People who come back in-person generally just do the in-person, because they feel and see the value of being in-person much more.”
Muehlenkamp, a former competitive gymnast and instructor at the company’s flagship studio in San Francisco, said online classes can only work for a “small subset of people” because The Bar Method requires more space than a Brooklyn studio apartment. It consists of isometric exercise; small motions work targeted muscles to build strength.
She also said in-person classes offer a sense of camaraderie and accountability for one’s fitness goals that her clients are “craving.”
“We’re human beings. We have a fundamental desire to be around other people and fitness is just one aspect of it,” Muehlenkamp said.
But right now, The Bar Method hosts less than 40 classes a week with 10 people max. Pre-pandemic, they ran 80 in-person classes with up to 30 people in each class. They are now offering meditation classes at the Williamsburg location as clients seek mental health services to cope with the pandemic.
“I think there’s a huge generational group that’s looking for those outlets,” she said, noting other gym owners are launching adjacent health and wellness services.
Muehlenkamp is advocating for the GYMS Act of 2021, which would authorize the U.S. Small Business Administration to make initial and supplemental grants to privately owned fitness gyms that have struggled in the pandemic.
She received two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to pay employees and the SBA provided relief on business loans she obtained to open her franchises. But, the biggest sense of relief came when her landlords agreed to reduce her rents.
“I think they get it. I mean these are smart people,” Muehlenkamp said, acknowledging her landlords have their own financial obligations.
She said she approaches her negotiations with full disclosure and candor.
“It’s kind of like, ‘Okay, well if you don’t lower it to about the amount that I’m talking about, this business isn’t viable. Here’s my financial statements. I’m not hiding anything. This is the situation,'” Muehlenkamp explained.
While she feels uncertain about the fitness industry’s future, Muehlenkamp told Connolly and Carousso she is encouraged by new small businesses that are catering to current market needs.
Watch the Small Business Spotlight video above for more advice for fitness gyms and other hard-hit industries.
