The Gowanus Canal has been home to industry for 300 years. Brooklyn’s first gasoline was refined on its banks, the borough’s first brick factories were there along with its big printing presses.
Generations later, the canal is home to hundreds of small businesses, ranging from concrete manufacturers to artisan furniture shops.
Here is a look at a few of them.
Eastern Effects, 210 Douglas St.
What they do: Lights, cameras and action for the movie industry.
Scott Levy, founder: “We rent lighting equipment for the film and television industry. The big lights, the dollies that’s what we supply. We also rent production offices, which have to be close to the city’s hub. Our business requires that we stay in a certain vicinity to Manhattan and to an area like Smith Street, where we can find the services we need. There is no time to make your own lunch or do your own copying when you making a major motion picture. You need dry-cleaning shops nearby for the costumes. We don’t want to work in an industrial park in some far-off area and by going to one we would lose a certain pool of employees who live in this area and like to be here. Most of them walk or bike to work. After work, they go out with friends. We are part of this community. It accommodates our lifestyle and helps us to our job well.”
Garden of Eden Gourmet, 588 Baltic Street
What they do: Supply and prepare food for Garden of Eden Gourmet grocery shops.
Ali Colakoglu, buyer: “We import and export all the food and supplies that go to Garden to Eden shops around the city. We prepare all the fish, meat, poultry, pastas and salad that are sold in the stores. Approximately 50 people work here. It is easy to deliver to the stores. We have been in the area for a few years and we have seen business improve. We are opening more stores all over the place. The stores are doing more business as more people move here. But if this area is rezoned [for housing], we worry the building owner will tell us that the rent has gone up and we will have to move. We are hoping that doesn’t happen. Everything is going smoothly and moving costs money. Plus, neighborhood people work here. If we move, that will all change.”
Beagle Tiles, 267 Douglas St.
What they do: Custom-design cabinets and woodworking.
Marci Pesner, owner: “Ninety-nine percent of our customers live in Park Slope. We do a lot of brownstone renovation, a lot of new kitchens or multi-use libraries where parents can work and kids can play. The Gowanus location helps everything run smoothly. We can travel between our workshop and the client’s house in 10 minutes. If they want a different material, we can go back and pick it up and get the work done that same day. It’s still a little bit like Mayberry. If we moved, we’d lose an important connection to the people we work with, and our customers.”
