In a world where uncertainty lurks around every corner, neighborhood spots offer reliable comfort and peace.
It’s something we may all take for granted from time to time. Still, local business owners have the power to host safe, healthy, and welcoming spaces for their fellow community members to embrace diversity and unity – some may even consider them to be Heroes.
When we think of the typical Super Hero, we might immediately think of Iron Man, Black Widow, Black Panther, or Spider-Man, but there are many Heroes inspired by these Marvel characters right outside our doorsteps, playing a role in our day-to-day lives in ways we may not even fully recognize at first.
These sort of courageous and compassionate individuals inspired us to team up with Marvel and take a closer look at the shops around our city and give them a well-deserved spotlight. Taking to the streets of NYC, we embarked on a journey to uncover the city’s unsung Heroes where we met the individuals behind Brooklyn’s Aunts et Uncles and the Lower East Side’s Regina’s Grocery and The Flower Shop.
“What makes the Marvel brand so powerful is that it is global, diverse, and can be celebrated through our everyday choices in life,” says Paul Gitter, SVP of Marvel Consumer Products. “Those choices start with how a Marvel fan spends time in their neighborhoods, in their homes, at work, and with family and friends. The story we’re telling with Highsnobiety spotlights New York City and Marvel fans who, like all of our heroes, have come into their power. They are inspired by Marvel and use that passion for the brand to drive their local community’s culture forward.”
Our first stop was in the Little Caribbean area of Central Brooklyn, where we met Nicole and Michael Nicholas, owners of the vegan cafe Aunts et Uncles.
Aunts et Uncles was opened back in 2020 to bring love and connection to their local neighborhood. Unlike many other plant-based eateries, the idea of having an exclusively “vegan cafe” was somewhat of an afterthought to Nicole and Michael. The duo explains, “We wanted to be intentional with every detail of the space. After taking stock of how many personal friends, family, and community members we lost to cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure; along with what the eating options were in our community, we decided to take the Community on the journey with us.”
It’s a valiant effort, to say the least, to dedicate your pursuit to the health and consideration of others. But it's these characteristics that make spaces like Aunts et Uncles stand apart from the rest and connect with the same higher calling that Marvel heroes experience at the start of their story.
Leaning into their sense of heroism, Nicole and Michael note, “As a super fan family of Marvel we don’t only consume the Marvel brand we exude it. We are aware of the natural and supernatural powers we possess. We choose to use them for the greater good as Marvel promotes. So for a brand of Marvel’s stature to align themselves with us is a key indicator we are doing the right things and also an inspiration to keep going!
By investing in wellbeing, Aunts et Uncles has initiated an identity through the act of caring for others – a radical stance for any modern-day business. “The cafe was created to be an extension of our home,” says Nicole. “So many good times connected through laughter and a meal.” That exact homey feeling of safety and familiarity perfectly embodies Aunts et Uncles, and gives local the local community a place to gather, connect, and eat well. Nicole adds, “Out of all of the beautiful things our customers say to us when we get the chance to meet them; the one that stands out the most is ‘This place is necessary.’”
Following our morning in Brooklyn, we journeyed to Manhattan's Lower East Side, where we stopped at Regina’s Grocery, a sandwich shop that has been feeding its residents and visiting guests for years.
Upon walking through its doors you can pick up on the shop's core values of family and passion almost immediately. Framed photos of generations of family members cover the shop’s walls and the smell of fresh bread and mozzarella creates a sense of authenticity that Regina’s Grocery has become renowned for. When we asked owner Roman Grandinetti what he believes the shop stands for he said, “Nostalgia, family, and the neighborhood. Not many places have the feeling of a true neighborhood spot anymore and food, to me, brought that feeling altogether.”
After experiencing the history and love that goes into Regina’s Grocery, it may be difficult to imagine Grandinetti doing anything else. However, the owner explains to us that his journey to creating a successful business was not always linear and can connect his story to the inevitable hardships that every Hero must overcome. “A lot of the Marvel characters carry an underdog story and I relate to that,” he explains. “Starting a deli and getting into food was not the story I wrote for myself, but it was one I loved. I believed in it and used all of my instinct to make it into something. Most importantly, I never gave up. Much like that of a true Marvel character.”
As an X-Men fan, Grandinetti relates his ability to bounce back from challenges he’s faced while owning Regina’s to the regenerative powers of Wolverine. “Wolverine’s fast physical healing powers have always been a reminder that after life gets you down, you get back up and try again.”
Finding the spirit to stay dedicated in the face of confusing or difficult times is what has separated Regina’s Grocery from hundreds of other sandwich shops around NYC throughout the years. Finding the correct words of wisdom Grandinetti states, “Here’s some inspiration. I never used a slicer a day in my life before the first day I opened the shop. The hardest part of anything or business is having the courage to start. So I’d say find something you love and do it.”
We capped off our day at LES bar and eatery The Flower Shop, where we were greeted by co-owners Dylan Hales and Ronnie Flynn.
The Flower Shop has been a Lower Manhattan staple hangout spot for five years. Inspired by Australian and English-styled “local” pubs and watering holes, the space radiates a classic 1970s Americana style – but, of course, The Flower Shop is so much more than its stylish aesthetic.
“My interest in producing an environment that allows old and new friends to merge led me into this industry in my early 20s. 16 years later, I am more passionate about this ideal than ever,” says Hales.
Led by the drive to bring people together and celebrate one another, The Flower Shop has proved to be a welcoming hub for all who enter. When asked about the most rewarding aspect of their business, Flynn adds, “The fact that we have brought so many different people together over the years from far and wide. Very often strangers leave The Flower Shop as best friends, and several have even ended up married!”
Much like the crescendo to any classic hero story, The Flower Shop very much seems to be in its “master of powers” era, where they experience a profound clarity after having moved through hardships in a post-Covid world. Hales explains the best way to push through any of life’s difficulties is with a positive attitude, even when it doesn’t feel accessible. He explains, “In the 2012 Avengers movie, Hulk says, ‘I’m always angry.’ I don’t feel that way personally, but I think that statement resonates with a lot of people as it represents an internal battle to fight off negative thoughts, feelings, and actions in difficult moments.”
When discussing the fated next steps for The Flower Shop, we took a moment to appreciate the success of the establishment and its ability to create space for people from all sorts of backgrounds and personal experiences. “That is what The Flower Shop is all about,” Flynn adds. “We want it to be everyone’s clubhouse, no matter your superpower.”
As the day drew to a close in NYC, there was a lingering sense of nostalgia for our own favorite Marvel moments. The same strength, dedication, and love we admire in our favorite heroes can be found very close to home. When we tap into local businesses that we love, we discover the owners and communities who make these spaces so special.
To check out the latest Marvel lifestyle products, follow Styled By Marvel on Instagram.
