Shopify opening new SoHo space for
entrepreneurs to learn, grow and work
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
A brand new space that aims to foster
the businesses of New Yorkers is
opening in SoHo.
In the last year, thousands of New York
City entrepreneurs have launched their
businesses on Shopify. Now, Shopify New
York will serve as a space for the city’s
budding and existing entrepreneurs will
have a space to call their own.
Located at 131 Greene St., the two-story
building will allow New York’s entrepreneurs
to connect, build, and grow through
workshops and one on one support from
experts. Other resources include a professional
grade podcast studio with audio and
video recording capabilities, a photography
studio that is easy to use, and the Cha Ching
Café operated by Birch Coffee. The
space also features a mural wall designed
by local artist and merchant Naomi Otsu.
Those who utilize Shopify New York
will also be able to feature their products
in the pop-up shop, which will be open for
visitors to purchase from as well.
“Much of NYC’s heart and soul comes
from its entrepreneurs,” says Harley Finkelstein,
Shopify President. “To keep NYC
as one of the most entrepreneurial cities
in the world, we’re giving New Yorkers
the resources and tools they need to build
successful businesses. If you’re a Shopify
merchant, a business owner, or an aspiring
entrepreneur trying to make it in NYC,
make it to Shopify New York. This space
is for you.”
Businesses that will be represented
include Paintbucket, Nguyen Coffee Supply,
CeeCee’s Closet NYC, and more. The
merchants featured in the retail space will
be changed up regularly to feature many
different NYC businesses. The uniforms
for the cafe employees were designed and
produced by local merchant New York or
Nowhere.
Doors will open to the public on Aug.
5. Shopify New York will be open six
days a week to support our merchants, as
well as by appointment on Mondays. To
learn more about Shopify New York visit
ny.shopify.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHOPIFY
A coworking space.
A breath of fresh, vacuum-pressed air at East Village eatery
BY DEAN MOSES
The East Village now has a United
States first in the form of a
blender.
AO Bowl, a new health food eatery on
82 St. Marks Place focusing on vegetarian
and vegan options, is boasting the
first commercial use of a vacuum-pressed
blender in the entire United States.
This fresh way of enjoying smoothies
forgoes the use of spinning blades in favor
of adopting a powerful suction that
retains over 90% of juice compared to
the about 60-70% found in standard
blending methods, according to Blendtec,
the company behind the technology.
“If you think about an apple or a banana,
when you cut into it turns brown—
that’s oxidation. What happens with
oxidation is it destroys the nutrients. So,
when you make a smoothie at home that
blender is spinning at 100 miles per hour
it is slicing through every single little bit
of it, it is oxidizing everything. Using this
the smoothie will not only look brighter,
but it will also taste fresher,” Zachery
Howitt founder and chef of AO Bowl told
amNewYork Metro.
It is not just blending Howitt is
Zachary Howitt shows off the blender.
hoping to reinvent, however. AO Bowl
also has the distinction of brewing
their own oat milk and growing their
own alfalfa sprouts in order to ensure
fresh products, which includes bowls of
healthy food—the packaging of which is
biodegradable—with the availability to
PHOTO CREDIT
include side protein such as salmon for
non-vegans. With so many restaurants
offering vegetarian and vegan options as
a supplement, Howitt is proud to flip the
script in this regard by making it their
main selection all organic, Gluten-free,
plant-based and Keto-friendly.
“We are trying to raise the bar on
sustainability,” Howitt said.
Although the storefront is now open
and serving East Villagers fresh smoothies
and healthy bowls, the road to becoming
a New York City first was paved
with obstacles wrought by the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic. Howitt explained
that he actually signed the lease for his
new business just prior to the deadly
virus reaching the Big Apple. When the
city shut down, the future of AO Bowl
remained uncertain, yet after one and a
half years Howitt’s hearty food venture
at last came to fruition. It is thanks to
determination like this that Blendtec
Founder Tom Dickson yearned to work
alongside AO Bowl to exhibit the blending
technology.
“We’re so excited to partner with AO
Bowl, the first commercial operation to
use our breakthrough Blendtec vacuum
technique to provide their customers with
one-of-a-kind beverages and bowls that
retain all of the nutrients from the blended
fruits and vegetables,” Dickson said.
AO Bowl is based on Japanese wellness
and technology, combined with madeto
order bowls, juices, smoothies, and
even coffee.
Schneps Mediia August 5, 2021 13
/ny.shopify.com
