Photo Credits: Billy Delfs
By Viviane Faver
Nilu, a black-owned retail store located in Harlem, is finding ways to support and elevate the African American community dealing with the effects of Covid-19 in New York City and across the United States. To give more visibility to multicultural creators across the country, NiLu is expanding its brand and developing its website so that people worldwide can support small businesses, black manufacturers, and multicultural creators from all over the country.
NiLu co-owners Mark Pinn and Katrina Parris have lived in Harlem for 20 years and opened the store in 2015. They felt the need for a retail store above 96th street, where people could buy elegant, eclectic, and beautiful gifts that reflect the neighborhood community’s culture. In an exclusive interview with the New York Beacon, Mark and Katrina talk about NiLu’s origin and their journey to get there.
New York Beacon -How and what did you do to get to where you are today?
Mark Pinn– Before NiLu, we operated a floral business for fifteen years. Our studio was in Harlem, but the majority of our work took us downtown. During that time, Harlem’s gentrification expanded, which meant national brand retailers and banks took over commercial space once occupied by small, Black businesses. In 2015, we decided to sell the floral business and join the black-owned business community. We were blessed to be self-funded based on the sales and profits of the floral business.
New York Beacon -How long have you been there?
Mark Pinn– Katrina has been in Harlem since 1993. She transferred from Howard University to City College to complete her Creative Writing and Advertising degree. Me and Katrina married in 2002 and started our family in Harlem. We raised two boys, Nigel and Luke (NiLu), one street over away from the store.
New York Beacon – What qualities do you look for when taking on a new vendor for your gift shop?
Mark Pinn– When selecting our products, we are looking for a story to share with our customers. Our selections are driven by culture, art, travel, and design background that make up the product’s story. We like the word “utilitarian.” Each product at NiLu is useful or has a purpose.
Ideally, all products are viewed as gifts, so packaging is essential. We do work with makers whose products show promise but miss a few key areas. It is all about supporting makers, and their products, which help preserve our black culture.
New York Beacon – After all these months of the pandemic, what are your expectations for the future?
Mark Pinn– We decided to set high expectations. We want to bring a unique retail style for our community in Harlem and beyond. Therefore we are expanding our website with 150+ items. Our view is to play to win. We cannot sit and wait for things to happen. We decided to cash in and go hard with growing our business.
New York Beacon – Any project that is new in mind?
Mark Pinn– We are curating brands from different Black communities such as Atlanta, Detroit, and Los Angeles. Around the country right now, Black and POC makers are claiming their rightful space. They are driving local and national economies and strengthening the communities in which they live. We share their passion here in Harlem. Supporting makers means more than supporting their businesses — we are advocating, celebrating, and preserving our community, culture, and ourselves.
New York Beacon – In conclusion, could you leave a message for small business owners and artists experiencing difficulties maintaining their businesses in this challenging time?
Mark Pinn– We have made many mistakes with the floral business and NiLu. First, cash flow is king. Be smart yet aggressive with turning your inventory back into cash to live another day. Second, listen to your customers. Set aside your ego and find out what they like (and do not like) and why. Spend 75% on meeting their needs and 25% on surprising them with new stuff. Third, focus on higher-quality marketing. Your brand
story is the differentiator in today’s world – you need to level up with analytics and research-based marketing. “Real brand marketing” is expensive, so do not shy away from bartering or merely asking for help. We have met several marketing professionals looking to help small, Black-owned businesses during COVID. Now is the time to work together and support each other- so we can all get through this.
