Locals World Guide
BROOKLYN NEW YORK
A curated collection of independent retailers, local designers, and spaces that make a neighborhood worth exploring.
Best for: Travelers and locals alike who want a few meaningful destinations before wandering. Whether you're browsing emerging designers or booking a wellness experience like Othership, these recommendations celebrate businesses with a strong sense of place.
INTRODUCTION
When someone asks you to plant sit in Brooklyn for a week, you take it.
What made this trip even more meaningful was that it was the very same apartment I plant sat in three years ago. Returning to the same place felt like the ultimate full-circle moment. Three years later, I came back to New York as a different version of myself—with more clarity, more confidence, and an opportunity to rewrite my relationship with the city.
Instead of rushing from one trending spot to the next, I spent the week walking through Williamsburg and Greenpoint, discovering independent boutiques, neighborhood cafés, and local businesses that made each day feel intentional. It reminded me that the best way to experience a city is to never settle for the first recommendation you find. Wander a little farther. Step into the shop that catches your eye. Talk to the people behind the counter. That's where the stories—and the places worth remembering—are found.
This guide is a collection of the places that made New York feel local to me, and I hope they help you create your own version of the city, too.
JANE MOTORCYCLES
JANE MOTORCYCLES
Motorcycles and coffee — every man's dream.
Why we love it: It's the rare spot where you can sink into a leather couch in the AC, sip a great iced cold brew, and just admire beautifully made jackets around you. It's a coffee shop built with men in mind — the kind of place that quietly taps into that inner masculine energy and leaves you feeling a little more inspired walking out than you did walking in.
Don't miss the coffee table magazines and books.
HACO
Location: Williamsburg
Founder: Yoko Suetsugu
Why we love it: My favorite little corner of a store, tucked next to Domino Sugar Park. Haco has an organic selection of high-quality, delicious teas from Japan, delivered straight to the people of New York. The aroma of Japanese incense fills the space, and if you're lucky enough to catch Yoko, be sure to ask her about her sculptures.
Check out our interview with Yoko — coming soon.
Be sure to ask about the sculptures.
SoHo, NY
ORIGINAL STORY
Original Story is a Curated Collective by La Donsk — Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Tucked into Greenpoint, this is where you go to find independent labels you won't see anywhere else — Amora, Macked, La Donsk, HighDive, FOLE, and Ethereal Society, to name a few. There are no employees here — every person behind the counter is the designer themselves. Their summer pop-up expands the lineup even further, bringing in brands like Zulia & Huipa and Smarart.
Why we love it: This feels less like a store and more like raiding a stylish friend's closet. Nearly every brand is made by independent designers in and around New York, and the pieces have a timeless, made-to-last quality — the kind of thing you'd actually pass down. It's a snapshot of where fashion is headed: sustainable, artisanal, and largely women-owned, with even the bigger names (like La Donsk) keeping that same grounded, "new earth" feel.
Valerie's note: Go find the missing cuff earring I left in the fitting room
Visit if you love local fashion.
UPSTATE STOCK
UPSTATE
Stocked with white sage, palo santo, New York apparel, Anima Mundi products, pancake mix, syrup, and a café at checkout.
Why we love it: This was the first store I actually wanted to walk into — one where sage, palo santo, and incense feel grounded rather than overtly spiritual. It's full of everyday staples for your kitchen cabinet, and easy to turn into a little morning ritual: grab some pancake mix, light a candle, and wherever you're staying starts to feel like home.
Challenge: Talk to someone random — ask where they're from, or if you can take their photo.
Pro tip: Public restroom in the back.
Nearby: Othership and Pura Vida.
