News
What's New Upper West Side?!?! February 02 2018
As we come to the end of January, I find it hard to believe that we’ve moved so fast into 2018. The good news is there are lots of good events coming and more new things to get excited about.
Yesterday, I received two very exciting emails. One was from my husband letting me know that Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Shop is going to be opening two blocks from Julie’s Beet. Hopefully the shop opens quickly, and I’ll be able to stop in all summer to get my fill of hand crafted ice cream. The second email came from my brother-in-law, letting me know that Make My Cake, a popular Harlem Bakery, is making the move to the Upper West Side a mere six blocks from my apartment. I’ll be able to get my fill of cupcakes and cookies not too far from home. It is a good thing that I like to exercise, so I can eat what I want!
The good news from these emails is that even with a lot of businesses closing there are still many artisan businesses that are thriving. As a small business owner, I make a point to support other small businesses whether is be the local ice cream shop or a friend who sells stationary. I know it might cost slightly more but the impact is far greater on the small business than it is on the big business. I’ve made a goal this year to collaborate with more small businesses to provide you all with some unique experiences. We’ll be launching our first one just ahead of Valentine’s Day so stay tuned.
Happy Friday,
Julie
I love the Upper West Side April 28 2017
This week I had the pleasure of working with Annette Akers, a local UWS resident and real estate agent. Annette was filming a series of videos highlighting shops around the neighborhood and I was very honored that she decided to focus an ‘episode’ on Julie’s Beet. The interview got me a thinking a lot about my business and asked questions that I know the answers to but maybe you do not.
Here is a preview of my interview with Annette. I’ll be sure to let you know when her videos are live so you can like, share and comment on them.
- How long have you been in business? What does your business do? Who do you cater to?
We just celebrated our 2 year anniversary on April 14. Julie’s Beet is a Gourmet Food Marketplace specializing in smaller producers. We look for the hidden gems of the culinary world and don’t want to carry the same products you’ll see on the shelves of your local supermarket. We cater to cooks, eaters, and gourmets.
- How do you curate products? Tell me a little about your artisans.
I opened our marketplace with products made by friends and friends of friends. Since then I keep my eyes open for the next big thing and am always looking for something unique and different. La Boîte Spices was one of our first artisans and I’ve known Lior for years. I also used to work at Rococo Chocolates in London and knew I needed their products in my marketplace.
- What are some of the ways you use the products?
I use our products everyday. Jacobsen Salt Co.’s Kosher Salt is an easy one since I use it on everything from salting my pasta water to sprinkling on my salad for lunch. The same is true of D.a.T. Sauce… it is a hot sauce that you can put on almost everything. I love thinking outside of the box on how to use our products and have a recipe section on the website to help others know how to use them.
- What made you choose the UWS to set up shop?
The Upper West Side was an easy choice for me as it is close to home. I’ve spent most of my time living in New York City on the Upper West Side and the neighborhood feels like home to me. It has just the right amount of hustle and bustle for someone from the Midwest.
- What’s in store for the future?
In the future, I hope to expand the hours at our showroom at 210 West 80th Street and I am always looking for new artisans to add to our marketplace.
- How is the UWS changing for the better?
I see lots of big residential buildings going up in the neighborhood which means more people are moving uptown. That is bringing some great restaurants and shops to the area both big and small.
Happy Friday,
Julie