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Harlem Art Cafe

Harlem Art Cafe 1 Art and Photography Galleries Bubble Tea Cafes Coffee Shops Framing Frozen Yogurt Furniture and Home Furnishings East Harlem

When Manhattan Sideways team visited the Harlem Art Café during the summer of 2017, we were given a full tour by the owner, Mahmut. He was kind enough to show us around the gallery, café, and basement workshop, introducing us to the many different facets of his business. In addition to running a cafe and selling works of art, he provides framing services, custom printing, and furniture and hosts frequent art shows. He is clearly a man of varied talents and interests: when asked why he offers such an array of services, he explained that, as a creative person, when a client comes to him, he finds a way to meet all of their needs. He has managed to dabble in and become a master of many trades in the process. “In a way, I had no choice but to be in art,” he confessed, since his two brothers are also artists and he feels that he was born into the art world.

The gallery was his main enterprise for much of his career, as it has been in Harlem since 1993 and in its location on 125th Street since 2006. Nevertheless, he had always envisioned having a space for people to enjoy artwork at their leisure while also indulging in a cup of high quality coffee and some snacks. He described his space as a “hangout place for the elite and artists of all kinds.” As a result, when he added the café to his existing gallery in November of 2016, it was the culmination of his vision for the business.

The space that combines the gallery and cafe is eye-catching. Pieces from local, national, and international artists line the walls and are stacked neatly throughout one half of the shop for visitors’ perusal. Mahmut even has some of his own art on display. The side that houses the café is painted in light greens and blues, which he selected because he felt they were “spiritual colors” that would foster a positive and relaxing atmosphere. An assortment of frozen yogurts and bubble teas are available, but Mahmut told us that the biggest attraction is his coffee - a claim that was backed by one of his customers, who took the time to tell us that she has been coming to the café for her daily coffee fix since it opened. Mahmut proudly revealed that he created the café’s menu after extensive research and taste-testing, since he was determined to provide a product that is “strong, smooth, and won’t give you heartburn.” He attributed his dedication to quality to the fact that he is from Turkey, “where they even have songs about coffee,” he joked.

Below the main floor of his store is the workshop, where he takes care of the framing and printing aspects of his business. The back wall is dominated by his impressive stock of materials, and the rest of the workshop houses the various machines and tools needed for framing. We were fascinated by Mahmut's demonstration of the program he uses to design and then create the custom mats for printing and framing projects.

We ended our visit by looking through the pictures of Mahmut's past art shows. He organizes these to expose local art and artists and advocate messages of unity, activism, and culture. His largest show was in 2011: It boasted over two thousand attendees and featured many talented musicians, performers, and artists from around the world. The show’s theme revolved around promoting peace among people from differing countries, and was meant to underscore how art can act as a means of transcending political disagreements and cultural barriers. Mahmut said that the people that come to his shows “expect to see uplifting things and historical art - art that tells a story.” When we stopped by, he was busy preparing for two shows, one of which would highlight the Latino community in Harlem and another that would feature the work of three local Harlem artists. He had no plans to take a break after these shows, however, as he was also looking forward to his new project - opening a room in the back of his shop that will display high-end, original artwork.

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Harlem Art Cafe 1 Art and Photography Galleries Bubble Tea Cafes Coffee Shops Framing Frozen Yogurt Furniture and Home Furnishings East Harlem
Harlem Art Cafe 2 Art and Photography Galleries Bubble Tea Cafes Coffee Shops Framing Frozen Yogurt Furniture and Home Furnishings East Harlem
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Harlem Underground 1 Mens Clothing Womens Clothing East Harlem

Harlem Underground

“People gravitate towards Harlem,” said Leon Ellis, the accomplished entrepreneur behind Harlem Underground.Leon Ellis grew up on the island of Jamaica and went to college in Alabama. He would often stay in New York over the summers as he sold Black history books door to door to pay for his education. Upon graduating, he chose to remain in Harlem permanently and embark on a bevy of intriguing business ventures throughout the 1990s, including a gaming store, Emily’s — a restaurant named after his mother — and a barbecue joint named for his father. Today, his clothing shop is surrounded by two newer ventures: Chocolat, a full-service restaurant, and Ganache Cafe, a coffee shop.His projects as a restaurateur aside, Leon felt that he wanted to “spread the word about Harlem all over the world.” With the neighborhood already a recognizable name, when Leon would travel outside the city dressed in Harlem gear, many people wanted to know where he purchased his clothing. Thus, Harlem Underground began with a mission: “We look to create an image or projection of what Harlem is — its music, its culture, its people.”The shop hires local designers to create merchandise that revolves around the “raw theme of Harlem NYC.” To Leon, this is the essence of his success. “Our resources are developed here, and we expend those resources here. We embrace the Harlem community, and we believe it embraces us.”(Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, after years of operating on 125th Street, Harlem Underground consolidated its locations and now remains open on Frederick Douglass Boulevard.)

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Capsule NYC 1 Sneakers and Sportswear Mens Clothing Harlem Manhattanville

Capsule NYC

The modern, stylish setting of Capsule is the perfect backdrop for the well-curated collection of clothing and sportswear. I was fascinated to learn that the owner, Daniel Farouk, originally from Ghana, always had a passion for fashion, but actually studied aeronautics and trained to be a commercial pilot. It was only after finishing his pilot certification that he found he missed fashion, prompting him to emigrate to the States to delve into the industry. He never received any formal training - instead, what he knows he learned “on the streets and on the job.” For a period of a few years Daniel worked at Sammy’s Fashion in the Bronx as a buyer and then became head buyer before opening his own stunning sportswear store.Stopping by in the middle of the afternoon on a warm July day, in 2017, it became immediately apparent that many are attracted to this beautiful shop. I was surprised by the number of people from every age group that were there chatting with the friendly, knowledgeable sales staff, while browsing through the well-presented racks of men's and women's clothing. I loved that not only were there jeans, jerseys, sweatshirts, athletic shorts and baseball hats, but there were also women's handbags and an adorable pile of t-shirts for little ones.Walking towards the back of the store, and up a step, a sliding door opened automatically to reveal an eye-catching display of unisex sneakers, as well as a selection of other stylish shoes and boots. When Daniel got a moment to breath, he came over to speak with the Manhattan Sideways team. He was proud to share that he had personally designed the store and its decor, focusing on a vision of brick walls and wood pallets to display his merchandise.Daniel told us that his goal in opening the store two years prior in 2015 was to “supply customers with stuff that is rare,” and he takes care to order clothes that are exclusive and high-end. “We’re trendy, in that we try to stay ahead of the trends,” he explained. A big advantage in accomplishing this is the fact that he works the floor and interacts with customers on a daily basis. That way, when the time comes to order new items, he can search out things that he knows will be “hot for the customers” rather than relying on general fads.Daniel chose Harlem as the ideal neighborhood to set up shop because he felt it was the “birthplace of fashion” and has a colorful past. His particular location on 125th Street has a very rich history, as it housed the famous M&G Diner, which was used as a filming location for movies like Precious and Belly and even a James Brown shoot. To respect this legendary site, Daniel has kept the diner’s sign displayed on his storefront.Despite his fondness for their current location, Daniel is hoping to open more shops around the city and in other boroughs. He was happy to say that they have “gotten a lot of love” from their customers and the neighborhood over the past two years. This is partly because Daniel is dedicated to providing an approachable shopping experience, where anyone can feel free to peruse his high-end wares without feeling any scrutiny or pressure. As a result, people who frequent the store range from Harlem locals to well known athletes and celebrities. When asked how he attracts so many high-profile clients, Daniel stated simply, "social media." He then went on to say, “We have the hottest brands, the hottest fashions, and we’re growing daily.”