How Two Iconic NYC Shops Remain Timeless and Thriving

The blocks of New York City are universes unto themselves, each telling a unique story. Shops and their owners give neighborhoods and streets their distinct identities and are part of what makes NYC great. Despite the city shifting around them, two stores—one in Bedford-Stuyvesant and another in Curry Hill—have remained constants in their neighborhoods, carriers of culture and history. Kalustyan’s and Peace & Riot share some of the values that have helped them thrive over the years in a changing city.

Peace and Riot: The gift shop for everyone

In the heart of Bed-Stuy, on the corner of Tompkins and Jefferson, Peace & Riot, a home design and gift shop, has been a fixture of the community for more than 10 years. Owned by Achuziam Maha-Sanchez, who was born in Brooklyn to West Indian and Nigerian parents, the shop reflects her rich heritage and sharp eye for design. 

Gentrification and rising costs often put independent stores out of business and Achuziam’s neighborhood of Bed-Stuy has gone through dramatic shifts in recent years. 

So how does the store thrive despite the changes in the neighborhood?

Achuziam knows her neighbors and regulars: “I’m part of the neighborhood. The bodegas know us; we’re regulars. We also have an understanding of what’s where and what’s lacking. I think there is an energy in our store that makes us Bed-Stuy.”

Achuziam has seen neighbors come and go during her lifetime in Brooklyn, and she made the decision a long time ago that her shop would be a welcoming place to them all. She curates her store to appeal to everyone, the old neighbors and the new. It doesn’t matter who you are—there’s something for you in Peace & Riot.

She stays nimble and adapts: “I’m flexible. I try not to get attached to anything for so long that I’m not listening to what my customers are telling me,” explains Achuziam. “I want everyone to be able to see something of themselves in the products that we carry because that’s what the neighborhood looks like.”  

Because the neighborhood is still changing and still evolving, Achuziam experiments with the products she stocks in-store and says, “I think that that’s probably why people like to shop [here] because when they come in, they’re seeing new things. Probably every week something new is in the shop.”

She works smarter, not harder: As the neighborhood has changed, so has Achuziam. Now a mother to a young boy, she doesn’t have the time to travel to far-flung trade shows to discover new products for her store. So she looks to Faire to source a diverse array of goods from different vendors around the United States.

I’m always trying to be with my son as much as possible. So Faire gives me that opportunity to hunt down and research all kinds of brands that I would never see. I just surf through Faire and put stuff into my cart. It’s been a powerful tool for us here.

Achuziam Maha-Sanchez, Peace + Riot

Kalustyan’s: The spice source for chefs and home cooks

On the other side of the East River, in a Manhattan neighborhood affectionately called Curry Hill, there’s Kalustyan’s, a legendary spice shop since 1944. Sandwiched between an Indian restaurant and a saree shop, the 6,500-square-foot storefront is a go-to for every spice, seasoning, nut, coffee, or tea one can imagine. Traversing its aisles is a sensory experience, and the manager, Dona Abramson, is a walking encyclopedia of spice knowledge. 

But how do they stay relevant in such a crowded market? 

A wide selection and deep expertise: “What makes Kalustyan’s different than probably any other place in the country is the vast array of products we have, both by country and then fine-tuning that down to the varieties of those products within those categories,” says Dona about the place that’s been lauded as best grocery store in America. Kalustyan’s offers more than 300 spices from every corner of the globe and supplies chefs, bartenders, restaurateurs, and hoteliers across the country.

“In addition to home cooks, some local restaurants use this as their local grocery store, and we see them here two or three times a day. Either they want to just try a small amount of something, or they need a specialty item. They know they can almost always find it here.”

They listen to their shoppers: At Kalustyan’s, the shop has had to reinvent itself time and time again to keep up with a changing culture. “When people ask for something that we don’t carry, first of all, they’re really excited that they stumped us. And then I’m like, ‘Oh, is there a recipe I missed?’ So I’m always looking at recipe and food blogs to see if there’s a product that we might not carry that people would be interested in.”

Whenever a customer has her “stumped,” that’s when Dona opens Faire. She often orders condiments and cocktail supplies based on demand from her shoppers. Listening to her customers and paying close attention to their needs keeps the store from getting into a rut.

Faire has helped us to find newer products that are locally made in the New York area, or women-owned, or from smaller companies that really align themselves with our values and the products we sell.

Dona Abramson, Kalustyan’s

Preserving New York City’s personality

These stores have stood the test of time because they never lost sight of their customers. Not only that, they’ve become the backbones of their communities. Kalustyan’s and Peace & Riot are places where New Yorkers and everyone can gather and feel like they belong. Because of this, they’re an essential part of their neighborhood’s DNA.

In a city that never stays still, the stories of Peace & Riot and Kalustyan’s remind us of the enduring power of community and the importance of staying true to one’s roots. They aren’t just stores—they’re cultural anchors. With the help of platforms like Faire, they continue to evolve while keeping the essence of what makes them special. As New York City continues to transform, these small businesses prove that even in the face of change, some things remain timeless.

If you’re new to buying on Faire, check out our retailer’s guide to buying on Faire. It includes all the tools and tips you need to stock your shop like these passionate pros.