Joel Holland has been making it his business to illustrate various New York storefronts since taking the idea up during the pandemic, when many of them were closed indefinitely. His illustrations found ways to turn the city’s concrete everyday brick and mortars into a glittering cultural mosaic. After collecting a handful of them in a book called ‘NYC Storefronts: Illustrations of the Big Apple’s Best-Loved Spots,’ he’s back at it again with another book focusing on just ones that are just in Brooklyn. “So many of these spaces double as community institutions whose worth to the surrounding neighborhood extends far beyond simply what they sell,” writes David Dodge in Brooklyn Storefronts, the newest book of Holland’s illustrations, published by Penguin Random House this month via their Prestel imprint. Of course, there wasn’t any way this tour could have avoided Bushwick — Andrew Karpan.
House of Yes
Kae Burke and Anya Sapozhnikova—who, in addition to being best friends, are long-standing circus producers— opened House of Yes in Ridgewood, Queens, in 2007 as a place to host aerial and burlesque classes and events. It was a “hippie-punk squat house,” according to the venue’s website, “complete with hallways filled with trash, leaky ceilings, and curious odors.” It was the perfect home, Kae and Anya decided, for some freaky circus stuff. The duo lost their first space due to a fire, and their second to a rent increase. They moved to their current Bushwick location in 2015: a five-thousand-square-foot site for circus acts, cabaret performers, nightclub events, and whatever other spectacles tickle their fancy.
Ornithology Jazz Club
This bohemian performance space, whose name refers to the scientific study of birds— and a Charlie Parker song—is a place where audiences can seek “inner flight through jazz and cocktails,” according to its website.
The Sultan Room
The Sultan Room, a 201-person-capacity music venue, is the arabesque-themed oasis of your dreams. It’s hosted inventive club nights like Home & Abroad, a dance party featuring DJs playing Afrocentric tunes accompanied by live drummers. The space is also a favorite among indie acts like Thelma and the Sleaze and Delicate Steve—but whomever you come to see, be sure to arrive early to dine at the adjoining restaurants, the Turk’s Inn, for some wagyu steak tartare and kebab-shop calamari, or Döner Kebab, for a kebab heaping with lamb and beef. The spot is an ode to a famous, now-defunct Turkish eatery that opened in Hayward, Wisconsin, in 1934. When owners Varun Kataria and Tyler Erickson (who are Wisconsin natives) learned the restaurant’s belongings were to be auctioned off, they hopped on the next flight and scooped up its iconic neon sign, original bar, and other invaluable tchotchkes, and set about re-creating the space in Bushwick.
Paperboy Prince’s Love Gallery
Equal parts thrift store, gallery space, and mutual-aid center, this spot has a little something for everyone. On any given day of the week, you might pop in to find an upcycled fashion show, a “no pants” party (which is exactly what it sounds like), or a comedy gig featuring performers like local legend Crackhead Barney. Nearly all these events double as fundraisers—the shop’s owner, who goes by Paperboy Love Prince, has helped raise and distribute $4 million worth of food to those in need across the city, plus they set up a free library. Paperboy’s interest in bettering their community has also prompted several campaigns for political office— including for City Council, US Congress, and mayor. In 2024 they even made a go for president.
Happyfun Hideaway
Unlike some of its sleeker Bushwick neighbors, this tiki-themed queer bar keeps the drinks cheap and flowing, eliciting some online reviews like this one: “Sorry stole your pen but love this place. I don’t remember what I did during Halloween.”
Noble Signs
David Barnett and Mac Pohanka opened this design studio in 2013 out of an “appreciation for the vanishing classic signage of New York City,” according to the business’s website. The duo specializes in neon, hand-painting, murals, gilding, channel letters, and more. If you’ve spent much time in the Big Apple, you’ve definitely come across some of their handiwork. The orange neon sign outside Carmelo’s bar in Bushwick is theirs, as is the bright white-and-yellow banner atop the Pickle Guys’ storefront on the Lower East Side.
Broadway Pigeons & Pet Supplies
Brothers Joey and Michael Scott have long been pigeon lovers—it’s an interest they picked up from their grandfather, who kept hundreds of birds at his home in Canarsie. They inherited the flock when he passed away and, after selling that property in the early 2000s, bought an entire building in Bushwick to house the birds on the roof. Soon after they opened a pet-supply store on Broadway, where Bushwick meets Bed-Stuy, to sell to fellow collectors, as pigeon-keeping was a pastime previously shared by many of their neighbors.
These days, pigeon enthusiasts are in decline thanks in large part to a gentrifying Brooklyn. “Who has the time, who has the money, and who has the roof?” Joey replied when asked about this trend in a 2021 New York Times interview. Apparently, building owners in trendy neighborhoods may be quick to permit gardens and gazebos on their rooftops, but few even consider allowing aviaries. Modern bird flus have also made the hobby prohibitively expensive for many; the Scotts must routinely vaccinate their flock against the latest avian-borne illnesses. As pigeons have dwindled in popularity over the years, the Scotts have pivoted to offering more traditional pet products, such as supplies for cat and dog owners. Still, they do sell some pigeons—many customers today, however, don’t tend to share their love of the homing birds. One purchased pigeons to help train his dog to hunt, while another bought several to assist her in fulfilling a religious ceremony, the brothers told the Times.
YourHairsBestFriend
Regulars of this salon would agree that owner Chereen Monet really is the BFF to their bouffants. She has developed a loyal fan base thanks, in part, to her specialty: concocting custom colors to bring her clients’ hair to the next level.
Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos
The smell of freshly cooked tortillas should be enough to make you stop while walking by this factory—and if it isn’t, you may not deserve to visit the hidden taco stand inside. As New York magazine wrote in a review, “The heavenly maize flats come off the line warm and chewy.” Toppings for the tortillas include vegetarian options such as beans, sliced avocado, and grated white cheese, but regulars say the meats— specifically the spiced beef, carnitas, and chorizo—are the reason to eat your meal inside this industrial warehouse. Diners enjoy their tacos, cooked from a street cart inside the shop, while staff behind a plexiglass partition bag stacks of tortillas. If you eat on the later side, you may even be treated to disco lights and Latin beats once workers have finished their shifts.
Antojitos Ecuatorianos
Regulars say this Ecuadorian spot rivals some of the corner eateries you’ll find serving up the nation’s traditional fare in Quito. The bolones—fried balls of green plantains stuffed with cheese or meat—are a favorite. There’s also a Bushwick location.
Eugene J. Candy Co.
Describing itself as a “most peculiar” candy store, this Halloween-themed spot in Bushwick sells confectionary, chocolates, novelty items, and more, “with a dash of macabre”—like bloody gummies resembling body parts. The owner, who refers to himself as Eugene J., is a chemical engineer turned evil Willy Wonka. He got his start in the sweets business in Berlin, where he would sell his wares out of a briefcase to frustrated clubgoers desperate to get into the notoriously fussy Berghain. Today he continues to innovate new treats in his lab at the store, hidden behind a Wizard of Oz–type purple curtain.
Roberta’s Pizza
Opened in 2008 on the edge of East Williamsburg and Bushwick, this pizza spot—which USA Today once included in a list of the top fifteen pizza parlors in the United States— has a cult following dedicated to its brand of wood-fired pies. But Roberta’s has always done more than pizza. Over the years, the venue has housed a rooftop garden, beehive, radio station, and the popular Tiki Disco dance party. Now they have multiple locations in the city and one even as far as California.
Bossa Nova Civic Club
John Barclay co-opened this club in 2012 with a mission to “stand in fierce defiance of the Cracker Barrelization and Portlandification of Brooklyn nightlife,” according to an interview in Fader, where he also described the intended vibe as “techno Cheers.” The small space, which can accommodate just 140 people, combined with consistently top-tier DJ bookings, means anxious ravers often must brave lengthy lines for a chance to dance atop Bossa’s black-andwhite-checkered floors. (The line became so iconic it inspired its very own Instagram account.) The beloved club suffered extensive water damage as the result of a fire in a nearby apartment building in early 2022 and might have closed were it not for the $113,000 raised via a crowdfunding campaign that helped its owners reopen.
Artist & Craftsman Supply
This employee-owned art-supply store has everything you need for your next craft project—and plenty of things you didn’t know you need, like Jacquard cyanotype mural fabric and luminescent watercolors.
Win Son Bakery
Favorites at this Taiwanese American bakery include the bacon, egg, and cheese served on a scallion pancake, as well as turnip cakes and rice rolls. Just across the intersection is their full-service restaurant, which is also called Win Son.
A-Pou’s Taste
This employee-owned art-supply store has everything you need for your next craft project—and plenty of things you didn’t know you need, like Jacquard cyanotype mural fabric and luminescent watercolors.
Yun Hai Taiwanese Pantry
This grocery is the place to go for all your Taiwanese needs, including imported dried fruit, hot and soy sauces, and even the trademark green-and-red mailboxes prevalent throughout the country.
Excerpted from Joel Holland and David Dodge’s Brooklyn Storefronts: Illustrations of the Iconic NYC Borough’s Best-Loved Spots. Order a copy online here.
All illustrations by Joel Holland.
For more news, sign up for Bushwick Daily’s newsletter.
Join the fight to save local journalism by becoming a paid subscriber.
