Business Q&A: Milk & Honey

When Milk & Honey opened three years ago on Merrick Road, owner Christina Essabba was fresh out of photography school and looking for a new start as a boutique owner. Today, her storefront has become a main hub in the local shopping scene. This week, we spoke with Essabba about running a small business in RVC.

What type of merchandise do you carry in the store?

We mainly sell independent labels and newer brands. We have an interesting collection of things you’ve never seen before. Even though our clothing and accessories are stylish, we aren’t overly trendy, so we sell things that are easy to carry over from season to season. We showcase a lot of local designers, including some from Long Beach and Brooklyn, and a lot of our jewelry is made in San Francisco, Austin and Chicago. Supporting local designers is important to me.

What makes RVC a good location for a boutique like Milk & Honey?

RVC is a hub. People come here for the restaurants and the small mom-and-pop shops. We get a lot of traffic here, so I think it’s the perfect place for a women’s clothing boutique. Milk & Honey fits in well with the other small stores. The community really supports local businesses, here more than in many of our neighboring towns.

How are you using the Internet to promote your business?

Our website has two parts, an online store and a blog. We wanted to start an online store so that we can branch out to a customer base outside of RVC and outside of New York. We started the blog to mix up the online store so that it wasn’t solely merchandise. My staff and I use the blog to share information about our lifestyle, interests and hobbies. We all have artistic backgrounds and the blog not only allows us to share what we represent, but also allows us to have more fun on the creative side of things.

What is your own background in the retail industry?

My background isn’t in retail at all, actually. I attended the School of Visual Arts and specialized in fashion photography. I was interested in prop design and location scouting—all the bits and pieces that have to come together to create a shoot. But I always wanted to own a clothing boutique, so after I graduated, I ventured off on my own and three years ago I decided to open Milk & Honey.

What kind of experience do you want your customers to have?

We try to offer them something different and unique in a boutique setting. They say that customer service is a lost art, so we really try to give our customers service with a smile and one-on-one attention. We love what we do and we want our customers to have a good time while shopping.