These women-led businesses go beyond simply selling their wares; they are striving to build spaces that empower their clientele and foster a sense of community. Many also fill a void when it comes to underrepresented subjects or perspectives.
“I think New Yorkers . . . we truly love this city and the community that has invested in living [here],” says Cate Luzio, owner of Luminary and the Glass Ceiling.
Read on to learn about inspiring women-led businesses all over NYC, including a vintage store where proceeds go to charity and a wine shop dedicated to educating consumers about Black-owned brands.
Courtesy, Calhoun & Co
A Quirky Home Decor Shop for All Your Gifting Needs
Business: The Shop by Calhoun & Co
Owner: Kerry Stokes
In September 2024, artist Kerry Stokes took over a neighborhood gift shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in which she opened a brick-and-mortar extension of her design brand, Calhoun & Co. Inside this quirky store, you’ll find colorful throw blankets, screen-printed dish towels with themes like sardine cans or cowgirl boots, and other home decor items all designed by Stokes. There are even some New York City–themed items for anyone wanting to bring back local souvenirs. “Our customer is anyone who wants to add a little personality to their home,” says Stokes. She also donates a portion of her profit and some products to charities such as Planned Parenthood and City Harvest.
Stokes loves the vibrant community surrounding her gift shop. “I feel like when you're around a bunch of people that love where they are, it just brings a sense of community,” she says.
Courtesy, The Glass Ceiling & Luminary
A Space That Takes the “Glass Ceiling” to New Heights
Business: The Glass Ceiling & Luminary
Owner: Cate Luzio
Cate Luzio had a vision for creating a space for women to come together, share ideas and grow their professional goals together. So in 2018, she opened Luminary, a gender-inclusive networking platform in Nomad, Manhattan. “I saw a need in the New York community for people who wanted to connect and learn and develop,” says Luzio.
Luminary is opened to both women and allies, and members have access to a global network of coworking spaces across the US. They host programs, events and workshops aimed at helping professionals grow their careers (members can also livestream these events from outside of NYC), including an annual Women’s History Month Summit featuring panels about growing a business. In 2021, Luzio opened The Glass Ceiling, a rooftop bar and restaurant that sits right above Luminary and is open to the public on nights and weekends. She often hosts Luminary events at the Glass Ceiling, like the Women’s History Month Summit Session, where entrepreneurs are invited to share moments from their career, and (Re)Defining Success Salons, monthly breakfasts with professionals across all backgrounds.
Courtesy, Happy Cork
A Shop that Spotlights Black-Owned Wine
Business: Happy Cork
Owner: Sunshine Foss
When owner Sunshine Foss decided to open her wine shop, Happy Cork, she wanted not only to create a community-focused space but also to fill a gap in the wine industry.
“There was not a lot of representation for Black-owned and women-owned brands,” says Foss. “Once I started doing my research, I realized that less than 1 percent of brands that were Black-owned. That was one of the hardest tasks, having to figure out how to get these brands into the store.” Today, Happy Cork prides itself on hosting the what’s believed to be the country’s largest assortment of Black-owned wine and spirits as well as women-owned and minority-owned brands. For Foss, the community is at the heart of her business. She loves educating customers on the different varieties and brands of wine and spirits through tastings at Happy Cork, which has featured brands like Viarae by Issa Rae, Wade Cellars by Dwayne Wade and Frisky Whiskey by Nicole Young.
“A lot of people would come in and say, ‘Ah, I've never heard of this.’ So I knew that I needed to give them an opportunity to try the wines. You not only got to taste the product, but you also got to see the faces behind the different brands.”
A Patisserie Baking French Pastries with Love in Bed-Stuy
Business: Je T’aime Patisserie
Owner: Jatee Kearsley
Over in Bed-Stuy, Queens native Jatee Kearsley entices her neighbors with croissants, macarons and quiche made fresh daily at her bakery Je T’aime Patisserie. From fresh berries to house-made jams, Kearsley prides herself on offering the neighborhood from-scratch French pastries, with no artificial dyes or overly processed ingredients. The decision to bring her pastries to this historically Black neighborhood was purposeful.
She told ABC News, “It was important for me to make sure that I put an impact on communities that not only I come from, but that I want to see grow and flourish as well.”
Kearsley continues to foster a sense of belonging in her community by engaging with her neighbors in different ways. She made it a point to accept forms of government assistance as a payment option to make sure the bakery was serving everyone in the neighborhood. She also invites locals to connect over flaky, buttery layers with her croissant-making classes hosted right in her bakery, turning a love for pastries into a communal experience.
Courtesy, Little Market NYC
The Market Dedicated to Women-Owned Businesses
Business: Little Market NYC
Owner: Wendy Feng
New York City is flooded with artisan markets, but sisters Wendy, Kimberly and Cindy Feng noticed there weren’t many that fully supported women-owned businesses. So they opened Little Market NYC, a space in Noho that houses different women-owned businesses from across the City. The sisters wanted to give women entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with each other and bring their businesses to new customers. At Little Market NYC, guests can shop everything from jewelry and clothes to home decor and art, an experience that offers more than just convenience for the shopper. Connect with the owners and artisans directly, and learn about how their wares were sourced or made.
The Ripped Bodice. Photo: Madeline Derujinksy
A Bookstore All About Romance Novels
Business: The Ripped Bodice
Owners: Leah Koch & Bea Hodges-Koch
Romance lit lovers should check out The Ripped Bodice, a bookstore that’s completely devoted to the genre. Owners Leah Koch and Bea Hodges-Koch found so much success in their LA location that they decided to bring the bookshop to Brooklyn.
“The Ripped Bodice was born out of a deep love for the genre and a desire to create a space where romance readers could feel celebrated, not just tolerated,” says Leah Koch.
Find books from various subgenres including contemporary romance, erotica and queer lit, plus other gifts for the book lover in your life. People from all over come to the Ripped Bodice to check out their welcoming space. In addition, the bookstore hosts author signings, launches, trivia nights, stand-up comedy and three book clubs, giving customers a chance to meet and mingle.
“The Ripped Bodice is more than just a bookstore—it’s a gathering place for romance readers to connect, celebrate their love of the genre and discover new favorites.”
Courtesy, TTH Vintage
A Vintage Shop That Gives to Charity
Business: TTH Vintage
Owner: Deborah Koenigsberger
What makes Deborah Koenigsberger’s TTH Vintage special isn’t the racks of designer clothes, shoes and accessories. It’s that all proceeds from this shop go to Heart of Gold, Koenigsberger’s organization to help homeless mothers and their kids in shelters.
“The store basically came about because I always had people offering to give me amazing things for the moms to give away, but they were not practical,” she says. “I realized that I could sell the stuff and get the moms what they needed.”
For Koenigsberger, her community is the reason why she’s been a successful business owner for the past 35 years (she also owns a chic women’s boutique called Noir et Black, specializing in fashion from Europe).
“Everything that I am, that I have made, is thanks to the energy of New York. My goal is to always remember to share and put back into your community.”
