Typically, when a business (particularly a restaurant) does well, the next move is to franchise—to replicate a series of clones modeled after the winning recipe in new locations serving up the same guaranteed brand experience. Does this work? Sure. Look at IKEA, look at McDonalds. But in Williamsburg, New York, where local-flavour reigns supreme, a smarter model for expansion is turning Andrew Tarlow into Brooklyn royalty. Like a diverse family of individuals tied together by their shared DNA, Tarlow has popped up shops, hotels and restaurants that each have their own personality but reflect their shared values of prioritizing ethical, artisanal, local and organic products. Each a reflection of their immediate environment, they embody a ground-up approach to empire-building. Capitalizing on the opportunities that each space, team and demographic possesses, Tarlow has a growing list of impeccably designed and curated ventures, that boasts five restaurants (Reynard, Diner, Marlow & Sons, Roman’s and most recently, Achilles Heel) two shops (clothing shop Marlow Goods and specialty food shop Marlow & Daughters), a literary magazine (Diner Journal) and a hotel (Wythe Hotel) all of which are already coveted as local treasures, resonating with the trendsetters and creative class. While it may be easy to dismiss the entire collection of hot spots as ‘hipster mania,’ Tarlow has presented a compelling counterargument to the traditional model of growth (blind replication) in favour of a flexible but focused platform of consistent values rather than consistent venues.
Reynard and the Wythe Hotel : 80 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn
Diner : 85 Broadway, Brooklyn
Marlow Goods and Marlow & Sons : 81 Broadway, Brooklyn
Marlow & Daughters: 95 Broadway, Brooklyn
Roman’s : 243 Deklan Avenue, Brooklyn
Achilles Heel : 180 West Street, Brooklyn