SHOP TALK

Get To Know Your Local Shopkeepers In This Monthly Spotlight Series

August 1, 2026

Meet Janine Sopp: Ceramic Artist and Director, Owner, Founder of Clay Space

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Q. Tell us about you and your business.
A. I'm a ceramic artist and the director, owner, founder of Clay Space, a ceramic studio in Greenpoint. We have two entrances to the building — the front entrance is on Calyer Street, and that's our public entrance where students and anyone who lives on that side of Greenpoint tend to come in. We have amazing instructors, we have kids programs. On the back side of the building is the private 24/7 membership entrance. That allows members to come in at their leisure. Many people have day jobs, they come in at night and work. Other people are doing their craft as a business. They're running their businesses, somewhat like an incubator, out of our facility. Those small businesses rely on our staff, our equipment, our ability to deliver our house-made glazes. We provide a foundation on which they can build their small business.

Q. How did you get started, and what brought you to Greenpoint?
A. I moved to Greenpoint in 1994. I had an almost 3,000 square foot studio space and was doing my own production until about 2006, when I realized being a production potter was not economical in New York City. We were founded in 2006, and then we built our new space during COVID and opened on Calyer Street in May of 2021. Little by little, I developed the space offering various levels of membership.

Q. What do you love most about being a small business owner in this neighborhood?
A. I'm really, really sensitive about what it takes to run a small business, and having respect for people that have already developed a community or already developed a brand, and where they situate themselves. I'm a small town girl at heart. I grew up in Syracuse, New York, where you kind of know everybody, and so I like to cultivate that feeling of a small town within a big city. And I think Greenpoint has done an incredible job. I hope it continues to do that.
Leadership is such an important responsibility, and running a business with compassion, with empathy, with care, with, you know, paying attention to the numbers, but also paying attention to people's well-being — that takes a special set of skills. And I feel like it's something that I've developed in my life through organizing around social justice issues and so forth. So I feel like those qualities translate really well into running a small business. And building a community environment where everybody feels welcomed. It's not always easy, sometimes things cross a boundary and I have to say no to things, but it's an incredible experience to bring a team on board and work with a team who also values those qualities.
Q. What does "shopping small" mean to you?
A. So not only are we a small business, but we're nurturing and supporting other small businesses within our four walls. And then those businesses can go and do shows or sell their products to other small businesses. So there's a very holistic approach that we take around supporting a small business within our small business. It's sort of like a nucleus, and then a larger, and then a larger [ecosystem]. So our students, our members, and then the oversight of the business. I realize that my reason for being on the planet goes so far beyond making pottery and ceramic art — it really is about cultivating and nurturing a community of makers and of people who need this in their lives, and it's only been a positive, incredible journey over the past five years.

Q. What's something about Greenpoint you wish more people understood?
A. McGuinness Boulevard has separated the two sides of Greenpoint. It's such a major thoroughfare, and historically, the east side of McGuinness, further away from the waterfront, has always been industrial. The building that I'm situated in, and a lot of the businesses that are developing, are on the other side of McGuinness, and it's harder for people to realize what's happening over there. A lot of people walk by and have no idea that we existed. Bringing the pedestrian traffic over has been a challenge. But when people discover us, they're really excited. So I'm hoping that more small businesses like mine start to situate themselves as a destination.

Q. What's your favorite thing to do, eat, or find in the neighborhood outside your own shop?
A. Because I spend most of my waking hours in Greenpoint, I'm always looking for food that is affordable, because eating out is expensive. If I'm going to eat out — when my daughter visits, she's a real foodie, so we like to explore a little bit more. One of my go-tos is Dar 525. It's on Diamond and Driggs, and they do Middle Eastern really well. And then closer to home, if I need a quick delicious take out, I'll go to Kimchi Market. But one of my favorite secrets in Greenpoint is Valle Luna, which is a taco truck that stations itself on Greenpoint Ave just outside of the G train exit off of Manhattan Ave. They do the best veggie tacos I've ever had. We've invited them to come to our building during Greenpoint Open Studios, and they sell out every time.

July 1, 2026

Meet Perri Salka: Owner and Curator of The WonderMart & Lead Organizer of Shop Small Greenpoint

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Q. Tell us about yourself and your business.
A. I'm a native of New York State and I've been living on my own in New York City for 20 years now. I've been a shop owner in Greenpoint since 2022, running and curating The WonderMart on India Street. And in 2024, I took over as the lead organizer of Shop Small Greenpoint — I'm the one-woman show behind that little community program now. The WonderMart is my happy place - a really special gift shop. I like to refer to what we carry as the real New York souvenir, because everything we sell is made or designed in New York State. You really can't find another shop like this in the city. Everything is small batch, independently made, and we support a little over 300 local makers and brands on our shelves. It's a really magical place — a great place to get a gift for a loved one or just a little treat for yourself. I run the shop along with my husband and we're just a little family-owned situation. I've been in business since 2019 as a whole, and then got my first brick and mortar in 2022. It's been a journey, but a really good one.
Q. What do you love most about running a shop in Greenpoint?
A. First of all, I don't live in Greenpoint — I live in South Brooklyn — and to find a shop space in North Brooklyn felt very unattainable for most of the time I was searching. But then, very serendipitously, I found a location that was so perfect for my shop, and it just happened to be in Greenpoint. And it's interesting because I'm half Polish, so it was really kind of cool to have a shop that is also representative of the Polish community. It felt like coming home in a strange way, even though I don't live there. I always joke and say I don't know what's in the water, but everyone in Greenpoint truly is so into shopping local — getting out there, having a great day, bopping around town. You don't find that energy in every part of the city.
Q. What does "shopping small" mean to you?
A. Being intentional. I like to encourage people to look local first. Chances are what you need is actually not that far away, and it's good to get your steps in! And you'd probably be surprised…even my own shop — it's on a side street, not on one of the main thoroughfares in Greenpoint…even four years in, we still get folks that are like, "I live a block away, I had no idea you were here. But my dog decided to pull me down the street this way today and that's how I found you." There are so many opportunities to shift your perspective and just go on a little walk and enjoy your neighborhood. I think shopping small really helps you do that.
Q. What's your favorite thing to do, eat, or find in the neighborhood — outside your own shop?
A. This is the hardest question, I think, because I'm always inside my shop. I don't get a chance to enjoy the neighborhood to its fullest as just a consumer. I wish I could, because there are so many amazing places to eat, drink, and shop in Greenpoint.
When I think about it, I really just think about where I would want to go if I had a free hour before I opened my shop. And I think honestly I would just go to Transmitter Park. I love walking out on the jetty — you get such a beautiful view of the city. It's just so dreamy to be reminded of where you are and what you've accomplished by looking out at the beautiful city skyline. I will also give a shout out to Little Tiffin. They are an amazing little Thai restaurant right on the corner of India Street, just steps away from my shop. They feed me two to three days a week. As a shop owner, I'm always forgetting to eat, and so to have them right there, ready to go — easiest pickup order of my life every time. I've gotten to know the owners and they're so sweet, a husband and wife team. I highly recommend it!
Q. How did you get involved with SSG?
A. I participated in the neighborhood crawl after I opened my shop — and my sales doubled that week. I was hooked! I thought, this is a really vital program. So when the original founders had to step back, I was the only person available and willing to carry the torch forward. When I took it over, I really had a bigger vision for what it could be. Previous to that, it was just a bi-annual event — in between, it was not a very active program. I wanted to turn it into an annual, really effective program for shops to have resources and visibility all year long. I'm excited to use the newly launched Shop Small Greenpoint newsletter as a vehicle to share what's going on in the neighborhood from a small business perspective, and help plug people into the importance of shopping small and all the amazing places to support in Greenpoint. There's a lot more to come. I can't speak on some things yet, but there are some fun things coming down the pipeline — stay tuned!!