Waxing Philosophic » Cobble Hill

Etsy – the coolest, funkiest startup in NYC Brooklyn

jguttman — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 06:40:00 +0000

Last Wednesday, I visited Etsy Labs in Brooklyn for their Wednesday Tea. I was the only one who showed up so I got a lot of attention and some quality 1-v-1 time with a bunch of the Etsy staffers. Thanks to Michelle, Danielle and Sarah for showing me around. I had heard a lot about these guys and had to go check them out for myself. Etsy is a unique startup. They help crafts-workers promote and sell their goods – like a fixed price eBay tailored specifically for crafts. Artists setup unique online storefronts to sell their goods and Etsy helps promote the whole package. As Rob Kalin, Etsy’s founder and CEO, recently wrote in a long post on the company’s blog, their mission is to enable people to make a living making things. Check out their site at Etsy.com – there are all kinds of cool things for sale at very reasonable (cheap by NY standards) prices…this is an excellent place to buy a gift for a girlfriend, wife, mom, etc. Their offices are a perfect representation of the company…part-art studio, part-startup, part-commune. From what I gather, there is some solid core technology behind this operation, but you really wouldn’t know it from visiting. The office is adorned with all types of crafts – a recently constructed pillow in the shape of twin breasts, silk-screened clothes of all shapes and sizes and other assorted chatchkes. The mood is decidedly chill and laid back, one I imagine would be conducive to creativity. Union Square Ventures funded the company, which recently sold its one millionth product and is generating $1 million in profit on $12 million in revenue – a dollar in profit for each product sold at an early stage of development….that’s pretty nice. Check out Etsy’s full slate of workshops and classes held locally at Etsy Labs in Brooklyn as well as their national events calendar, or stop by their offices for one of their "teas". These guys are doing Brooklyn proud.

Why I haven’t been around as much recently….

jguttman — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 01:51:43 +0000

In case anyone is wondering why I haven’t been around as much recently, I’ve been spending a lot of time over on my new neighborhood blog – Bergen Carroll. Bergen Carroll began a few months ago as a little pet project to provide the best area in Brooklyn - Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and Red Hook – with a robust community resource, covering neighborhood developments and cultural events in addition to providing an outlet for residents to chat, comment and connect with each other. While it’s still only in beta, the site has begun to catch fire. We have four talented writers involved and several other neighborhood loyalists with online publishing experience putting together an exciting list of programming and features. Traffic is starting to flow, even though we haven’t really told anybody yet:) So….if you don’t see me here for a few days in a row, come on over to Bergen Carroll and check out what’s happening there.

Brooklyn Public Libraries partnering with Netflix?

jguttman — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:37:21 +0000

The NY Post reported that the new head of the Brooklyn Public Library System, Dionne Mack-Harvin, has engaged Netflix in talks to provide a DVD delivery service to library customers. Wow!! Does this mean I could cancel my $12.99/month subscription and get similar service with my library membership for free? This is an example of the type of public-private partnership that provides a valuable service to it’s citizens and may drive significant growth for the enterprise involved. I imagine Netflix could lose a chunk of their Brooklyn customers, who would opt for the free option, but then again, the Brooklyn Public Library is the fifth largest system in the country and the increase in customers (who may be serviced at a slimmer margin) could certainly offset the loss. One thing this would accomplish is increased awareness and interest in the library system, which would be a great first notch on the new chief’s belt.

First wipeout of the year, first comparison to Derek Jeter

jguttman — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:38:36 +0000

Walking to the subway this morning, I executed a nice wipeout crossing the street. It was one of those slides where a save is not even worth considering. By the time the thought would have crossed my mind, I was already making snow angels in the middle of the street. The woman behind me extended a hand asking if I was okay. I thought that was the extent of my embarassment. Then, on the other side of the street, some guy rolled down his window and yelled out, “You look like Derek Jeter…Safe!!” Thanks dude. I’ll take a comparison to Jeter any day.

Atlantic Yards receives initial approval – runs risk of damaging historic Brooklyn

jguttman — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 01:10:08 +0000

NY1 reported today that the Atlantic Yards project received the required unanimous approval from the three-member board made up of George Pataki, State Senate Majority Leader George Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. With the end of Pataki’s governorship imminent, he was pushing hard to get this through. While I was once in favor of the project, thinking it would help revitalize downtown Brooklyn, I am now firmly opposed to it. The fact is that Brooklyn doesn’t need any help with revitalization. Its neighborhoods, particularly those around the proposed project, are growing
faster and revitalizing themselves as fast as any neighborhoods in the NYC area. Prospect Heights,
Boerum Hill and Fort Greene have already become some of the coolest, most sought after neighborhoods in the borough, if not all of NYC. Traffic congestion in that area, particularly on the

Atlantic/Flatbush intersection, is already miserable and this project will only make it infinitely worse. Forest City Ratner’s current project in the area, Atlantic Terminal, is a miserable excuse for a shopping center – I get frustrated every time I’m forced to deal with the oddly-configured multi-teared maze – and if the new project is going to be any resemblance, it will cause more anger than pleasure. Most significant, the scale of the project appears to be wholly inappropriate for historic Brooklyn, currently made up of mostly three and four-story brownstones. The Atlantic Yards Report blog posted these images showing the project’s scale, which I think are important for more people to see. And I haven’t even addressed the unproven economic forecasts or building aesthetics, the latter of which is both cheap and commercial and make no attempt to conform to the precious existing Brooklyn landscape. I’m a little confused as to why the state is making a decision that ultimately affects the city, but I think its time for us citizens to speak up.

The joys of a clean home…

jguttman — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 20:50:25 +0000

After a painstakingly long search, I recently found someone new to clean my home. The last three people I had lined up all fell through the cracks. It just so happens that this person is a slim 5′10" 26-year old Polish blonde woman named Jolanda. I pride myself on being an equal opportunity employer where hiring is done blindly of race, sex and body type. Since Jolanda was hired over the phone, I am confident the federal authorities will let this one pass. Needless to say though, I wasn’t upset when she arrived.

Since my search lasted so long, I was living the life of a bachelor in an apartment that hadn’t been properly cleaned for months. I forgot how nice it is to have a clean, fresh-smelling home. It brightens your entire day. I’ve posted a photo here to illustrate. For those of you who haven’t seen the new do, this photo serves a double purpose….look closely in the mirror.

Dixieland band plays in Cobble Hill Park

jguttman — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 01:50:05 +0000

Walking home today, I saw a Dixieland band in full regalia setting up for a
7pm set in Cobble Hill Park. I had already fallen in love with this neighborhood (and
S. Brooklyn in general) months ago, but it just keeps getting better and better and better….