SENSORY JOURNAL 011: Possibility

Before I had a business here I fell in love with this building and this neighborhood. The pastel colors of the art deco architecture, the mosaic tile murals, the surrounding historic high rises, the Arts District. Once I knew I was going to open a store, my heart was set on this block.

At that time, all the retail spaces here were full and hardly ever became vacant. If vacancies came up, they were usually filled before the news even became public. I ended up launching my first brick and mortar across town as some friends were kind enough to share their space with me, but every weekend I had available I went to the East Village to visit and network with the other shop owners there. Eventually, in 2019, that commitment paid off when one of those shop owners tipped me off to a space that would become available soon. After a quick application and some luck, 435 E 1st St became mine!

My first shop of my own. The first design choice I made was my wallpaper backdrop from Italy that I had seen online but felt like it belonged with this building’s exterior. Combined with matching showroom fixture hand-me-downs from Eric Trine, custom fixtures made by my love, good lights and a beautiful counter left from the previous tenants, Burke came to be. I have had dreams for this beautiful space I have loved. Dreams to add a skylight in the back room, dreams to replace and restore every cracked tile on the facade, dreams to renovate the small bathroom, dreams to grow like other long time shops I’ve admired. But so much has happened in the world over the last 5 years. Slowly some of the shop neighbors I moved here to be next to closed or relocated. Slowly my in-store traffic has dwindled away. And I’ve had to recognize that my customer is no longer at this location. And while it is heartbreaking to leave a physical space that made my dreams come true and that I have given so much to, I must also recognize when my business is in a place to evolve and find a way to better serve the customers that have supported me. And right now that is to shift my business online.

I will be forever grateful for and changed by the small business owner relationships I have built here in the East Village. This magical little place still made up of all micro mom-and-pop shops -- serving the community every day in more ways than the public will ever see. This entrepreneur community welcomed me and embraced me, and is absolutely the reason this business has made it through these challenging years. A small business community of support, shared resources, collaboration and commitment. A community made up of so many WOMEN-owned businesses. So many MOTHER-owned businesses. Women simultaneously running a business, raising good humans, working tirelessly to improve their neighborhood and care for their neighbors, all at the same time, and seemingly with such ease and strength. Women that welcomed me with love, and never once with an ounce of competition. The community of small businesses in the East Village deserves your endless support, and whether I am located here or not, my dream will always be to see this neighborhood, this architecture, and these small businesses here preserved and thriving.

I think there will be many, many conversations to be had later about the current economic state of small businesses, the viability of small shops in today’s day and age, the importance of third places and safe spaces provided by independent retail. The value of independent boutiques to the greater fashion industry ecosystem. But so much has happened that is out of any one entrepreneur’s control. My year one at this location, 2019, feels like an alternate reality that continues to live on in my brain as if the pandemic never followed. It felt like we were seeing all of the potential the East Village Arts District has always had come to fruition, there was a beautifully cohesive and complimentary assortment of businesses surrounding Burke, the neighborhood was consistently active, and business was growing. Though that alternate reality lives on in my dreams, the real reality went from a Global pandemic, to civil unrest, to limited store hours and capacity, to a changed downtown landscape, to decreased tourism, to a post-pandemic recovery, to increased homelessness, crime, and vandalism, to constant downtown construction and development, to endlessly rising overhead costs and steadily decreasing foot traffic. I really want to give an endless hug to any brick & mortar small business owner who has managed to stay afloat over the last 5 years. It has not been for anyone faint of heart or without endless love for and responsibility to their communities.

Running a brick & mortar business is one of the greatest challenges I have ever faced, but it is also the greatest gift I’ve ever received. It gave me an identity and a purpose. What I will miss the most truly are the daily personal interactions I have had here. I’ve met SO many special people from all walks of life through having this shop that I would not have met otherwise, and I’ve had it long enough to also lose some of those people too. I’ve made some of my best friends through having this shop. I’ve been a safe space for locals to come for good company or a listening ear. I’ve been able to support community efforts and non-profits financially and in-kind. I’ve been able to give opportunity to small artists and designers - many their first opportunity. I’ve been able to build relationships with you, my customers and community members, and be a part of your life milestones. To know of your promotions, your love lives, your first homes, your first children, watching your children grow, giving your pups the best treats I could find. What an extraordinary gift of community this space gave me. And truly THAT is the hardest piece to detach from.

But doing what is right for yourself and for your business is not always the easy thing. And though I’m grieving the loss of this space and neighborhood from my everyday life, I am beginning to feel hopeful about the possibilities that lie ahead. The strain this will relieve on my bank account makes way for more creativity, the time this relieves from my schedule means being able to connect with my customers and my loved ones more intentionally, the stress being removed of worrying about something happening to my physical space at any moment gives my brain new space to imagine and ideate. I hope you will continue to stay connected with Burke online as I hope to improve the ways we connect digitally. I hope to pop-up more often around town to stay connected with this community and allow you the opportunity to still see, smell, feel, and try things on in person - hopefully with me being able to bring it closer to where you are versus you having to come to me. I hope to also still create a small physical space where you can come for a shopping appointment or quick gifts when it suits you. I’ll continue to share updates with you throughout the transition and thank you in advance for being here and staying connected.

Thank you for the gift of these past 7 years and being a part of a dream come true! 

I am forever in gratitude.