Many years after it first came onto the collective radar of hipsters, Brooklyn remains one of the country’s coolest, most desirable places to live. No other urban environment in the United States combines such a high quality of life with so much vibrancy, cultural diversity, and opportunity.
That makes Brooklyn a favorite not only of people seeking an exciting place to put down personal roots but also of entrepreneurs. There are three types of businesses that have been proven to work very well in Brooklyn, a quick look at each of which follows.
Even as recently as a few decades ago, Brooklyn was seen by many as a fairly marginal part of New York City. Crime rates have plummeted since, and revitalization has transformed most of the borough in ways that would previously have been unthinkable.
That has made Brooklyn an especially appealing place to live. Ambitious developers have been busy putting up attractive condos and the like for many years, as those who find locations at nria.net will see.
Today’s Brooklyn is also an especially welcoming place for businesses, whether those with long histories in the borough or the greenest of newcomers. Nearly 60,000 companies based in Brooklyn now employ locals, in fact, making it one of the most economically influential of the five New York boroughs.
One of the most appealing things about Brooklyn today is that it boasts both plenty of hip, trendy personality and a wealth of the working-class character that defined it for so long. While it has become more expensive to live, work, and operate a business in Brooklyn, it remains a lot more affordable than Manhattan on the other side of the East River.
Businesses that excel most readily in Brooklyn tend to cater to both sides of the borough’s unique nature while also being financially viable in general. Three that have been proven time and time again to have great odds of success are:
1. Breweries
Brooklyn’s young professionals tend to be particularly enthusiastic about high-quality beer, and that is only a portion of the overall market. Despite being home to dozens of breweries already, Brooklyn is thirsty for even more sources of suds. The craze for “hazy” India pale ales that has swept the nation in recent years can be traced back, in large part, to a number of, especially influential Brooklyn breweries. Even simply coming up with a novel spin on an established favorite can allow a new brewery to open to healthy demand. While it does take a fair amount of capital and planning to open a brewery in Brooklyn, the established odds of success often put related concerns to rest.
2. Dog walking
The population of Brooklyn has been trending younger and younger for many years, with Millennial arrivals from other parts of the country now making way for members of Generation Z. Young adults in the United States tend to favor pets over families, with fewer and fewer marrying and settling down at traditional ages. Starting up a dog walking service is an especially easy, accessible way to cater to some of the associated demands. While it does take away with both people and canines, many Brooklyn residents have succeeded with this type of venture in recent years.
3. Cleaning
Steady growth and a strong economy ensure that Brooklyn also features plenty of demand for both residential and commercial cleaning services. Since it requires only a modest investment to get a new cleaning company off the ground, even entrepreneurs of limited means who are willing to put in some hard work will be welcome.
These three types of businesses have collectively given rise to many entrepreneurial success stories in Brooklyn in recent years. Just about anyone looking for a way to build a business from the ground up in Brooklyn will do well to consider at least one of these three proven options.
