Dumbo: Etsy
As Petula Clark once sang in “Downtown”, everything was waiting in Dumbo, Brooklyn for my friend Liz Wald.
Liz joined Etsy more than two and a half years ago as the International Business Director and has been globetrotting ever since, expanding Etsy’s business around the world. From Tokyo to Berlin to London, she has been exploring cultural fits and building business operations for Etsy and basically, having a blast. Recently, Liz welcomed me as her guest for lunch at “Eatsy” when they serve the staff locally sourced, organic food from Brooklyn-based restaurants every Tuesday and Thursday.
Creative stimulus is everything at Etsy and that means food too. Even their conference rooms are inspired by quirky food and music combinations; “OREO Speedwagon” and “Depeche a la Mode”.
Employees are a mix of supertechies and designers, business folks, and customer service people who are often Etsy sellers themselves. Etsy’s Feng shui is all about living with craft, so the work area is the perfect mix of creative chaos.
Etsy started off as an owner built site in 2005 and today has over 10 million members. Sellers sold more than $300 million in transactions in 2010, which could nearly double again this year. People from around the world have been exchanging everything from handmade jewelry to vintage lamps, and the site is just now launching its first language other than English- German, to be followed by French and many others. From right here at home, even my talented “Aunt Mary” is sharing her paintings on Etsy: Mary Lawton, Etsy. Watch this space for much more about Liz and Etsy. For more info on Etsy, click here: Etsy Press.
Dumbo: Wild Rise
Dumbo draws for its food too. A great place to check out is Wild Rise for their primal pizza. A simple dough of flour, water, salt and yeast is mixed with ancient techniques. Two days later, the dough rises and is ready to dress with crushed San Marzano tomatoes picked from the mineral rich soils at the base of Mount Vesuvius in the bay of Naples, Bufala mozzarella made from the milk of Neapolitan water buffalo, and basil. Once assembled, the pie is baked at 900 degrees in this custom made oven. Visit Wild Rise @ 68 Jay St.Bar, Wild Rise.
