QNS Collaborative brings community and creativity to Astoria Shared Storefront
Photo by Gabe Radley
18 NOVEMBER 2 0 2 1
EXPLORE YOUR BORO
Imagine you are a Queens-based
maker with a desire to sell your
handmade goods. You have objects
you want the community to see and
enjoy, but you have nowhere to display
or sell them. Opening a storefront
is out of the question due to
expensive rent.
Thankfully, the new group QNS Collaborative
(QNSC) is providing a solution
to this problem for local artisans
— and creating an opportunity for residents
to discover and buy goods made
in the neighborhood.
QNSC is a diverse group of Queens-based
makers, community members, organizers
and entrepreneurs collaborating to create a
space that makes creativity and communitybuilding
more accessible.
“It’s our belief that there is enough to go
around and it’s just a matter of making that
‘enough’ accessible for everybody. There are
clearly enough storefronts to house every
small business in Queens. Getting access
to them is near impossible until you start
to corral your resources,” said Maryam Mudrick,
QNSC organizing team and vendor
member.
The group emerged after several locals —
who became members of the QNSC organizing
team — approached business owner
Kayli Kunkel in January 2021. Kunkel, who
opened her eco-friendly store Earth & Me on
Steinway Street in December 2020, also had
the idea of establishing a shared storefront
with local vendors, and it was only a matter of
time before her concept caught on.
“I had asked how I could help out at Earth
& Me and received an email about the project
when it was still in its early brainstorming.
I knew I wanted to be a part of it from
then on and was able to become more involved
after the first town hall,” organizing
team member Sarah Clive said.
Some other organizing team members
are also vendor members, like Mudrick of
handmade tie-dye apparel Morefully; Gabriel
Radley of Doggert Designs for your
button and sticker needs; and Roxanne
Earley, the artist behind the lovely ceramic
goods at Figment Clay. Organizing
team member Kelsey Bower got involved
through her graphic design and branding
work.
As a jumping off point in February of
2021, the team surveyed business owners
to get a sense of the needs of local
creators and small entrepreneurs.
“We were trying to figure out what the
shared stressors and needs were. Space
to sell their stuff was number one for
just about every vendor,” Mudrick said.
“This store is like a test kitchen for what
we hope the bigger concept is. A lot
of people ask for workspace or shared
studio spaces or equipment, things that
minimize the burden on individuals who
live in tiny New York apartments.”
After taking what they learned from the
survey, the group hosted three community
forums that spring to gauge what western
Queens neighbors wanted to add to the ambitious
undertaking.
“The community forums helped us get
feedback from people who aren’t necessarily
business owners,” Bower said. “Some of
them are involved in creative or mutual aid
pursuits, but generally it was your swath of
people who might come into a community
space and patronize it or help make it run.
It was helpful getting the other side of feedback
that wasn’t just people interested in
selling their wares, but helping create the coop
space or meeting other neighbors.”
BY ALLISON KRIDLE