“A big business starts small.” – Richard Branson
As a small business ourselves, we at Cocoon understand the multitude of challenges that come with running an operation of this size while navigating how to scale to compete with larger businesses. Because of this, we always strive to play our part in supporting our neighbors by partnering with small, local businesses whenever possible and promoting them to our clients through our Local Vendors project. While still in its early stages, our Local Vendors project is one of our Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, dedicated to discovering the most unique, creative, and talented small businesses all over the city.
Today in honor of Small Business Week, we are sharing five of our favorite small, local food and beverage businesses that we have as part of our Local Vendors project.
Flowers Cafe
Lower East Side, Manhattan
One of our go-to lunch spots at the office, Flowers Cafe is a tiny cafe with some of the kindest and friendliest staff. They have a wide variety of breakfast and lunch items, and are known for their incredible selection of creative sandwiches. They also offer catering services!
Campbell & Co
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Campbell & Co. is a café, catering company, and grocery and cheese shop run by two sisters. We love ordering from here as everything they make is farm-to-table, using fresh seasonal ingredients. They also offer a ton of locally-sourced goods that highlight fun NYC producers.
Dandelion Wine
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Dandelion Wine is a female-owned wine store in Greenpoint that curates well-farmed small-batched wines, with strong stories from small importers. We love sourcing our wines from them and being able to discover new brands. They’ve become such a staple in their community with weekly wine tastings in their club-like store.
Dreamers Coffee House
Two Bridges, Manhattan
Dreamers Coffee House is one of our favorite local coffee shops with a strong mission – they opened right at the onset of the pandemic with the goal of creating a place for locals. With a team of chinese-speaking staff and a Chinese menu, they strive to bridge the gap between their Chinatown neighbors and their American peers.
Ioannis Coffee Chef
NYC & NJ
Ioannis, the founder, started a passion-driven coffee business, sourcing ethical coffee beans and providing coffee classes and barista training for others. We love hiring the team for barista services at our events or to host their coffee tastings and experiences. They are the ultimate experts in their line of work, and always find ways to make the learning process more enjoyable.
