By Viviane Faver
Caribbean entrepreneurs own and operate many businesses contributing to New York City’s identity and sense of community. Sharing the goods, foods, vibes, and hospitality of the Caribbean in various ways, these individuals show that while the Caribbean islands may be relatively small, they are mighty. Brooklyn-based and Trinidadian-born entrepreneur Nicole Grimes is dedicated to championing and amplifying members of this group through the Carib Biz Network. This platform supports the growth of Caribbean American businesses.
As of 2019, there were approximately 3 million Caribbean immigrants across the United States, with the highest population of communities in Miami and NYC. “CBN started because of the NYC community,” says Grimes. “A high concentration of our business community and network is based here in NYC. These include Caribbean restaurants, shops, and service-based businesses scattered mainly across Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.”
“I started CBN as a passion project on social media to promote the small businesses of those I knew and their own circles. A year later, I incorporated a formal business as a platform for Caribbean Americans to gather and grow in the American entrepreneurship landscape. Two and a half years later, we’ve grown into a passionate community of people trying to achieve success and tell important Caribbean stories on their own terms. I’m so humbled and thrilled to be a part of that.”
CBN holds events throughout the year, such as the Island Jingle Holiday Market, the Boss Lady NYC Mixer, and the Momentum Expo, a three-day event at City Point in Brooklyn this past June. This year’s expo included business owners vending jewelry, hair care products, clothing, and fine soaps and hosting discussions around building wealth and legacy, the cost and benefits of becoming an entrepreneur, and the importance of maintaining your authentic Caribbean self in an ever-changing digital workplace.
Learn about some Caribbean-owned businesses in Brooklyn and how they share their islands’ culture with NYC.
Allison Dunn (Jamaica), Hibiscus Brew
546 Flatbush Ave., Flatbush
How would you describe your business?
Hibiscus Brew is a pink café that seeks to bring a slice of the Caribbean to Brooklyn with our signature hibiscus/nonalcoholic sorrel wine that we use in smoothies, iced teas, and vegan soft-serve ice cream. The café is focused on health, nourishment, and creating a space that sparks joy.
How is your native island reflected through your business and product?
From our sorrel to the tropical storefront, this space was created to add vibrancy to my neighborhood and bring a bit of Jamaica to my adopted home in Brooklyn. I took one of the happiest moments in our culture—the Christmas holiday when we drank sorrel and ate rum cake—to create an experience that sparks joy to my customers.
What is your favorite thing about the country that you’re from?
I love Jamaica because of the friendly people, great food, fun music and culture, beautiful beaches, and warm weather.
What is your favorite thing about Caribbean culture in NYC?
It’s great to experience the Caribbean in Brooklyn. The little Caribbean is the ideal place to enjoy the food and culture of your favorite island. You don’t have to go far.
Michelene Auguste (Trinidad and Tobago), Studio Dem
241 Wythe Ave., Williamsburg
How would you describe your business?
Studio Dem is a vintage and contemporary Caribbean designer store. But we like to say “vintage and all kinds of things.”
How is your native island reflected through your business and product?
Dem is an expression of my cultural heritage. I wanted to create a space that reflected Trinidad, that felt Trinidadian, but also a space for a broader range of creators from the Caribbean to be represented.
What is your favorite thing about the country that you’re from?
The people—our resilience and creativity. Our culture is full of color and joy.
What is your favorite thing about Caribbean culture in NYC?
I can go get a roti or doubles [deep-fried, curried chickpea sandwiches]. I hear cars pass blasting soca or dancehall, and even just hearing someone walk past with a Trinidadian accent makes my day.
Carla Nelson (Haiti) and Wendy Jules (Haiti), Fleur De Lis Beauty & Esthetics
1468 Flatbush Ave., Flatbush
How would you describe your business?
Fleur De Lis Beauty & Esthetics is a medical spa with a focus on helping our clients honoring their temple and taking charge in defining what makes them feel beautiful. As clinicians, we like to assist our clients in beauty maintenance through the treatments we offer.
How is your native island reflected through your business and product?
We are a Haitian-owned and -operated business. Our very name is rooted in our Haitian background; fleur de lis [the lily flower] has represented royalty throughout French history. We offer the hospitality and friendliness that our culture is known for.
What is your favorite thing about the country that you’re from?
Primarily our culture. Haitian culture is saturated with strength, pride and resilience; being the first nation to gain independence in the Caribbean is a badge of honor for us.
What is your favorite thing about Caribbean culture in NYC?
As diverse as NYC Caribbean culture is, we [the different islands] are very similar. There are so many variations of dishes, customs and even language that are rooted in the same origin. No matter where you end up in the web of NYC Carib culture, you’re never far from home.
Nadege Fleurimond (Haiti), BunNan
2123 Caton Ave., Flatbush
How would you describe your business?
BunNan is a plantain-based eatery that focuses on Caribbean-inspired flavors. We offer plantain sandwiches, chips, nachos and fries with proteins such as griot pork, red snapper, jerk chicken and mushrooms.
How has your connection to your Caribbean country influenced you to start your business?
BunNan is formulated out of my love of food and the need to share Haitian, Caribbean and Black diaspora cuisine with the rest of the world—but especially to show the connections that exist within the Black diaspora through the foods we eat. We are more alike than we think.
What is your favorite thing about the country that you’re from?
Our creativity, which is exemplified through our ability to create greatness (art, food, music) out of the bare minimum.
What is your favorite thing about Caribbean culture in NYC?
I love how we show up for each other during events, festivals and celebrations. Everyone plays each other’s music.
Khalid Hamid (Trinidad and Tobago) and Shelly Marshall (Trinidad and Tobago) Island Pops
680 Nostrand Ave., Flatbush
How would you describe your business?
Island Pops sells Caribbean-inspired ice cream, ice pops and sorbets in traditional tropical flavors like soursop, grape nut, sorrel and nutmeg.
How has your connection to your Caribbean country influenced you to start your business?
We started Island Pops after craving soursop ice cream while sick in bed and realizing that the Caribbean flavor was not accessible across ice cream shops in Brooklyn. We wanted to fill a need in the market for authentic Caribbean ice cream. We want our flavors to take you back to your childhood in the islands.
What is your favorite thing about the country that you’re from?
The closeness of our family units. Almost everyone in our family lives a stone’s throw away from each other. We never needed babysitters for our kids because aunts, uncles, grandparents all lived in the same geographical area. It was what I would consider a “real village” unit.
How would you describe how Caribbean culture shows up in NYC?
Caribbean culture shows up in the authentic stores, music and food that are populated on almost every block, especially in Brooklyn.
Rosario and Dario Trujillo (Trinidad and Tobago), Lotus Nail Lounge
164 Rockaway Ave., Ocean Hill
How would you describe your business?
Lotus Nail Lounge is a full-services salon for glamourous beauty needs, including manicures, pedicures, facials, and more. There aren’t many Trinidadian owned nail salons in Brooklyn, and we are proud to provide the services that make people feel great in a professional atmosphere at a great price!
How is your native island reflected through your business and product?
Trinidad is reflected in Lotus Lounge through our passion and love for serving people, introducing a little bit of my island to Brooklyn.
What is your favorite thing about the country that you’re from?
The culture and diversity.
What is your favorite thing about Caribbean culture in NYC?
I love the big community. The Caribbean community in NYC is huge, and I just adore the fact that if I’m feeling for a lil’ lime and Trini food I can find a perfect spot to go to.
Khadija Tudor (Guyana) and Ade Collman (Jamaica), Life Wellness Spa
376 Tompkins Ave., Bedford-Stuyvesant
How would you describe your business?
Life Wellness Center is a wellness space that encourages guests to focus on holistic self-care with intentionality. We provide a range of services including therapeutic bodywork, events, workshops and natural products to heal and grow physically, mentally and spiritually.
How has your connection to your Caribbean country influenced you to start your business?
We both grew up in environments where we saw family members utilizing their entrepreneurial energy to create a way out of whatever financial challenges showed up. That is the energy that fuels us. We grew up with our grandparents and a host of extended family. It was not uncommon for a cup of bush tea to suddenly show up, with a stern direction to “drink.” The elders in our family relied on bay leaf, ginger and a host of herbs to treat and boost our immune system. The Apothecary at the Life Wellness Center would make our grandmothers and aunties proud.
What is your favorite thing about the country that you’re from?
Our favorite thing about Guyana and Jamaica is the people. The spirit of resilience is what we draw on.
How would you describe how Caribbean culture shows up in NYC?
Caribbean people show up. We are unfettered, unabashed and proud of where we’ve come from. We bring that same pride in adding and building community wherever we go.
