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we’re both very collaborative. What’s
great about the shop is that she has her
multiple areas of expertise and I know
books, so we can very easily expand
on an idea that she or I has and make it
come to fruition.”
Like some of her other vendors, Chin
decided to create a space in Side B for
The Golden Lab Bookshop after hosting
Cepeda and his curated selection at a
pop-up. Before finding a home at Chin’s
boutique, the unique bookshop was
fully online since opening in October
2019, aside from doing pop-ups every
now and then.
“Adrian is an example of somebody
who has a goal in mind who I want to
support. He was based online only,
would do different pop-ups and was trying
to save money to do pop-up trucks.
One of his main goals is to make sure
books are accessible to kids,” Chin said.
Cepeda’s book choices for Side B
stem from his Queens upbringing in
Jackson Heights. The book buyer aims
to keep the selection diverse in order to
mirror the varying cultures and populations
found in the borough.
“I try to keep the books current, diverse
and inclusive in hopes to diversify
everyone’s bookshelves at home so
they can enjoy stories they relate to or
to take them through a new experience
they can learn from,” Cepeda said.
The two local massage therapists
who run Kon Incense, Anna Mascia and
Maegan Ratliff, also appreciate Side B’s
emphasis on local community and purpose
filled business practices.
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