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 Press ReleasesFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Women Business Owners Rule on Myrtle Avenue
(Brooklyn, NY, Nov. 12, 2004) - The revitalization of Myrtle Avenue has been neighborhood news for the past several years, but the real story is about the entrepreneurs who have made it a reality. With the grand opening celebrations of Frosted Moon Emporium and Maggie Brown on Friday, November 12, a total of eight new women-owned businesses have opened in the past two years: Ada Williams, Frosted Moon Emporium; Aricka Westbrooks, Jive Turkey; Karen Tappin, Karen's Body Beautiful; Sima Katz and Betta Broad of Liv-I-Culture; Chelsea Altman, Maggie Brown; Denny Huey, Oouch Café; Biola Odunewu and Robin Richardson, Pillow Café-Lounge; and Angelia Chou, Thai 101. Many of these women left successful careers in other fields to face the challenge of going out on their own. Why leave the relative security of a steady job to face the uncertainties of running your own show? Perhaps echoing the thoughts of other entrepreneurs, Karen Tappin of Karen's Body Beautiful says she realized early on that, "If I'm going to work 80 hours a week, I want to do it for myself." Aricka Westbrooks was a public relations executive in the fashion industry before she opened Jive Turkey, which specializes in deep fried turkey, in May 2003. Karen Tappin was a high school teacher and was running a gift basket business out of her home before she opened her shop, which features homemade bath and body products, in February 2004. Also opened in February 2004 was former spa owner Denny Huey's Oouch Café. Biola Odunewu was a writer/producer and her partner Robin Richardson was a bartender before they opened Pillow Café-Lounge in March 2004. Ada Williams of Frosted Moon was a Human Resources executive for many years before she opened her gift and home essentials store in July 2004. Sima Katz and Betta Broad of Liv-I-Culture were a children's dance and yoga teacher and community organizer, respectively, before they opened their holistic arts collective and organic juice bar in July 2004. The most recent opening, this past October, was Maggie Brown, a restaurant, owned by actress Chelsea Altman, also owner of Moe's and La Pequeña in Fort Greene. "Myrtle Avenue is a great place for independently-owned, small businesses," says Michael Blaise Backer, Acting Director of the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project, "The avenue has been on the upswing for a few years, and while rents on other commercial strips may be prohibitive, Myrtle is still quite reasonable. It allows for a healthy mix of locally-owned chains and first-time entrepreneurs." Of course, women business owners are nothing new on Myrtle. Lurita LB Brown, owner of Clinton Hill Simply Art & Framing, has been on Myrtle for 13 ½ years, and is about to open an affiliated art gallery just off the avenue next month. Other women business owners on the avenue include Annetta Coburn of Annetta's Beauty Salon, Romi Sung of Fashion World and Kid's World, Emma Curry of Kapella's salon, Almitra Gaspar of Music on Myrtle, Roli Laura Osagie of Owa African Market, Theresa Joyner of Sarafina Art & Gifts, Sonia Lashley of Soketah salon, and Sandra Graves of White Elephant Gallery. "We welcome all the new women owners in the neighborhood," says Lurita LB Brown, "The new businesses bring more people to the area and that's good for all of us." Fact Sheet (Chronological from newest to oldest) ###
Contact:  © 2008 Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project LDC (MARP) 472 Myrtle Avenue, 2nd Fl, Brooklyn, NY 11205
t: 718.230.1689 | f: 718.230.3674 | info@myrtleavenue.org site by four eyes |
