I am a lifetime champion of small businesses. You might call me a groupie, actually. I suppose as a small business owner myself I understand the importance of small businesses in building a community. When I sell a home, I love to see how local businesses help give each particular neighborhood their vibe.
One of the businesses that caught my attention in the Elizabeth neighborhood is ColsenKeane on 7th Street.
Seriously just look at it from the outside. It’s already cool.
Elizabeth is a family centered neighborhood with lots of history, big front porches and just the right amount of quirkiness to make it interesting.
I should know, my office at Savvy + Company Real Estate is in the neighborhood along with a mix of retail and restaurants. A new restaurant opening soon, is called The Stanley. Its name is a nod to Stanley Drugs, one of the original businesses in the district.
Like the homes I sell that tell a story with each family living inside… the leather products at ColsenKeane are made to tell the stories of their owners.
Take the story of Owner Scott Hofert. A one-time avid traveler, the first products he created were made out of necessity. When he couldn’t find a toiletry bag he liked or an iPad cover he wanted, he made one.
Hofert calls his work, the equivalent of wine in an accessory. Everything is made to order so it can be tailored to fit the exact needs of their customers. The whole space screams creativity and art. Leather rolls line the walls.. I can almost smell it looking at these pictures.
That’s the stuff great neighborhoods are made of. Grit. Heart. Dreams. Family.
It’s not about the business itself or what it sells. It’s about the people who lived a whole life just to get to the moment that brought the business to life. It’s not about the building that contains the business. It’s about why you walked in to it in the first place.
Whenever you walk into a local business I guarantee you whether you walk out with a locally made product or not, you’ll walk out with a great story. You’ll connect with someone who cares about your neighborhood just like you do. And that is what makes the real difference.
To see great homes available for sale in the neighborhood of Elizabeth contact me at casseecunningham@gmail.com. If you are in Elizabeth drop by the office on 7th street (link to map) and come say HI!
You can check out more about ColsenKeane here.
I’d love to hear about which business is your favorite in your neighborhood. I might just decide to profile it in a future blog. It may take me a little bit to get there but the next time I’m helping someone buy or sell a house near it, you can be certain I’ll stop in.
