Best Small Businesses in NYC: The Rundown
By Marnie Kunz
Photo by Marques Jackson Photography.
As Small Business Saturday rolls around, I wanted to offer recommendations of some of the best small businesses in NYC, many of them women-owned and black-owned businesses. As a small business owner myself, I know how hard it is to make it when you are competing against large corporations with endless ad budgets and resources and sometimes you are stringing together side jobs just to make ends meet. Compound with that the cost of rent and services in NYC, coupled with coronavirus, and making it as a small business owner in NYC is no small feat.
Here are my recs of the best small businesses in NYC to support for Small Business Saturday:
Marques Jackson Photography offers the best photography services for sports photography, social media photography and event photography in NYC. Marques’ unique ability to capture the mood and scenes of NYC, coupled with his incredible attention to detail and mood in people, is unmatched. In all my running and active life, I have never met a better sports and event photographer. Marques is based in Brooklyn and currently offering socially distanced photo shoots during covid-19. Marq covers all of Runstreet’s NYC running event and influencer photography needs.
I love my HalfBrooklyn shirt.
Luv Scrub serves up an amazing, all-natural body scrubber that you can use over and over again for great exfoliating and clean showering experiences. The mesh body exfoliator comes from West Africa, where founder Caroline’s parents would get the scrubbers for her and her family on trips home to Ghana. Caroline soon realized how superior her scrubs were to American loofahs and sponges and launched this wildly successful business based in NYC. The exfoliator has been awarded many beauty honors, including the Allure Best of Beauty 2020 Award. I am not a big pampering products person so this was a splurge for me, but so worth it! I love my Luv Scrub and have found it so much easier to keep clean and it far outlasts those cheap plastic exfoliators from the chain stores. Well worth it, and currently they are having Black Friday sales on select colors.
Custom Performance Physical Therapy is my go-to physical therapy office for all virtual and in-person running injury and recovery needs. I tried several physical therapists in NYC before landing on Custom Performance, which is a woman-owned business with the best PTs who specialize in helping runners. Unlike some physical therapists, they take women athletes seriously and my PT there, Kathleen, has been a life-saver for helping me recover from a stress fracture, and offering training motivation and tips to stay injury free while pursuing my race dreams. I highly recommend Custom Performance for any runners and athletes who need expert medical treatment and care, and for plenty of personalized, one-on-one attention.
Alisa Harvey is an amazing illustrator and creative professional based in Brooklyn.
HalfBrooklyn offers dope hats, shirts and gear with a Brooklyn twist. Founder EriCa Ham came to NYC for art school and since graduating has launched her own designs available on her website. I ordered her Crooklyn’s Finest Tiger t-shirt and it’s giving me hope and life during this tough time of coronavirus quarantine life. Her unique designs capture the spirit of Brooklyn well.
Press Modern Massage is a woman-owned business based in Brooklyn and serves up body-positive, amazingly soothing massage services. With locations in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, it is well worth the trip for a massage for sore, tight runners’ legs and bodies. Also, a great way to de-stress during covid-19 life.
Alisa Harvey is the talented designer and comic illustrator behind many of Runstreet’s graphics. Alisa is a Brooklyn-based creative professional with unlimited creativity and a love for running and dogs. Alisa moved to NYC shortly before coronavirus hit, and has been inspiring in her resourcefulness and persistence in creating her own way in NYC. If you need any graphics or want to commission some of her amazing comic illustrations, check out her website for more work samples and details.
You can support the best small businesses in NYC with purchasing services or products for Small Business Saturday, and even if you don’t plan to do anything in person this season, you’ll have an amazing service ready for you when post-pandemic life resumes. And you’ll be helping NYC stay afloat during the biggest economic crisis to hit this century.
What are your favorite small businesses? Comment below.
Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach and the creator of Runstreet Art Runs, which bring together communities through running and street art. She is a Brooklyn resident, running coach, Akita mom, and writer. She enjoys traveling, art, and eating messily. You can follow her running and events at @Runstreet Instagram and Runstreet Facebook and most importantly, follow her Akita dog at @kita.kiyoshi.
