These café owners started a shop with credit cards and a $30,000 loan. They say it's worth it to run a business in NYC.
Two entrepreneurs share their experience of opening a café and art gallery in Brooklyn, NYC, despite significant financial hurdles. They discuss the personal sacrifices and debt required to launch their business in an expensive urban market.
Why it matters
It highlights the economic realities and challenges faced by small business owners in major US cities, providing a grounded perspective on the 'American Dream' in the hospitality sector.
Ilia Penzin and Liliia Penzina at their café, T.O.L.K., in Bushwick. Paola Chapdelaine for BI Ilia Penzin and Liliia Penzina run T.O.L.K., a café in Bushwick, NYC, facing financial hurdles. T.O.L.K., opened in 2025, serves as both a coffee shop and art gallery, promoting local artists. Despite financial struggles, Penzin and Penzina remain hopeful, aiming to expand their NYC business. Ilia Penzin and Liliia Penzina call their café and art gallery their baby. "A big baby," Penzina said, laughing. The entrepreneurs' first year running T.O.L.K. in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick has been defined by the personal sacrifice and precarity of running a small business in one of the most expensive cities in the US. To fund the startup costs , they moved in with roommates to save on rent, took a $30,000 loan from family, and went into credit card debt.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in