Business

By Ginger DeShaney Olga Markos still remembers the coffee percolator her mom had so many years ago. She can envision it sitting on the stove. It had a glass knob so she could see the magic brewing inside. Her mom would let young Olga take sips of coffee. “I love coffee,” Olga said. “I’ve always loved coffee.” In her late teens, she attended a bridal shower and had her first flavored coffee: chocolate raspberry decaf. From that point on, “I was in love with flavored coffee.” Olga turned that passion for coffee into a successful business in Boston’s Financial District, where Olga’s Kafe thrived for 23 years at 99 Summer Street, before the building’s owner wanted to go in a new direction. That shop closed [...]

By Ginger DeShaney When Colleen Howard was starting out with her business, Camden Hydes, she was welcomed by other women-owned small businesses in South Boston, the holiday pop-ups being a particular favorite. Now, she’s returning the favor. “It’s nice to do the same for other women-owned small businesses,” she said. Colleen has organized several pop-ups this year but has had to get creative because of COVID-19. “I’m trying to make the best of a difficult situation,” she said. “Normally, we’d have so many opportunities for people to shop in person at local pop-ups.” The group couldn’t plan on the usual indoor pop-ups as in years past inside local restaurants or function spaces, so Colleen had to think outside the box. She reached out to the [...]

By Ginger DeShaney When Sean Ryan and Troy Sproul wrote the business plan for their OTTO Pizza location in South Boston, a big piece of it involved giving back to the community. “Any business has to have a connection to the community,” said Sean. For some, having a community-based initiative is an afterthought. “But we wrote it into our plan,” Troy said.  “It’s important for any business -- a moral obligation -- to come into a new market and ... give back,” said Troy. “We are grateful we can give back to the community.” Sean and Troy brainstormed how they could impact the most people. “At the end of the day, it’s the right thing to do,” Sean said. Their Tips for Kids program ensures [...]

By Ginger DeShaney Gemstones and bracelets. That’s how it started. Stephanie Greenstein was looking to buy a bunch of bracelets from a shop. But they were $45 each, which got her to thinking, “I could do that.” So she did. She made herself bracelets, and her friends noticed them. They wanted her to make them bracelets, too, so Stephanie made them for free. “I was making pieces for friends, then those friends told their friends,” Stephanie said. And people were willing to pay.  “It started as a hobby and shifted to an actual business.” She opened her e-commerce website -- https://stephiechic.com/ -- in June 2019. Stephie Chic features Stephanie’s beautiful handmade creations: bracelets, earrings, necklaces, tie-dye clothing, masks, and hair accessories. Stephanie took her passion [...]

By Ginger DeShaney For Erin Ghella and Marty Horn, one blessing came out of the COVID-19 pandemic: their new hair boutique, Feather & Waves.  During the state shutdown, Marty was laid off from her job and Erin’s hours were drastically cut. Marty called Erin and asked: “Do you want to open a salon with me? I’m serious. It needs to happen.” “We held hands and said, ‘Let’s go,’ ” said Erin. “We’re Laverne and Shirley over here.” “It’s one good thing that came out of COVID,” Marty said. “I never thought I’d actually do it. But we had no choice. No one was hiring.” Located at 653 E. Broadway, Feather & Waves Hair Boutique has been open for about two months. Marty, 30, and Erin, [...]

By Ginger DeShaney With everything going on in the world right now -- from the Covid-19 pandemic to the political situation -- people are seeking an antidote. One such medicine comes with a mat.  “At this point, our mental well-being is at the forefront,” said Andrea Corazzini, owner of East Side Yoga & Fitness at 584 E. Broadway. “We’re trying to navigate this new landscape.” Andrea likes to say that the physical part gets people on the mat, and the mental benefits keep them there. “Exercise helps you get out of your own head. Someone tells you what to do so you can just zone out.” Yoga offers a sense of peace and mindfulness, Andrea said, something we could all use right now. “It clears [...]

By Ginger DeShaney It was a match made in party heaven. Colleen Dunleavy knows flowers. Crystal Mills knows cocktails. They met six years ago doing a photo shoot and immediately hit it off professionally and creatively. “Colleen and I are such a great match,” Crystal said. “We had a friendship from Day 1, and it's been amazing for us to know each other's strengths and build our business as business partners.” Today, their business, “Love Child,” combines blooms and booze and is making a name in South Boston. “Flowers and cocktails go hand in hand,” said Colleen, who also owns Dunlovely Floral Design while Crystal also owns WanderLush, a craft cocktail business. “Flowers and cocktails make people feel better and put smiles on their faces.” [...]