If your family owned a TV between the years 1982 and 1993, you’re probably familiar with the sitcom Cheers. The main draw of the show wasn’t the good-hearted bartenders, the strong-willed female characters, or even the charismatic owner; it was bar regular, Norm. Why? Because, as the theme-song, outlines, “sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name.”
Gluten-free chocolate-dipped chocolate chip cookie by Gone Pie Vegan Bakery
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a vegan community. In fact, many people still live in places where they’re the only vegan around. Even in an over-populated metropolis like New York City, it’s easy to feel alone, regardless of knowing with certainty that there are others “like you” just a stone’s throw away. Sometimes it takes an organizer.
Cali Kush vegan hot dawg by Yeah Dawg!!!
This started, surely, with neighborly potlucks. Then there were vegan meet-ups. Secret supper clubs. Veggie Conquest events blew up the NY scene for a while, then Vegan Drinks in multiple cities. MooShoes New York was always the place to be for launches of new books, restaurants, bars, etc. Sure, Vegfests take it to a grander scale, but it’s the recurring community atmosphere most of us are looking for.
Gluten-free rainbow cookie donut by Peaceful Provisions
For a good bit, the East Village’s Lula’s Sweet Apothecary was just that. For many, it was the local meeting place. Not a watering hole, it was an ice cream dispensary where you’d be hard-pressed to find a seat after waiting in a line out the door. But you’d opt to stand, with your divine treat, in order to enjoy while kibitzing with local vegans. So much of the charm lay in the owners, the staff, and the clientele–all working together to foster both new and existing relationships along with providing a space in which they could grow.
La Trucha torta by Vegicano
Vegan Shop-up has steadily taken up where Lula’s left off. Charismatic and dependable, they’ve grandly popularized their regularly organized events as community gathering to the nth degree.
Vegan Shop-Up tote and Pine Box sign modeled by superfan vegan dog, 89
What started in vegan bar/event space Pine Box Rock Shop with a handful of vendors inside has grown exponentially to include tons of vendors–including many that spill out onto the sidewalk in warmer months, along with the Cinnamon Snail food truck if you’re lucky.
Rainbow cookies by Sweet Maresa’s
While Vegan Shop-Up has now expanded to include all-ages pop-ups, it’s the long-running Pine Box events that have formed a community for me personally, probably because you can easily wile away hours: eating, drinking, talking…all while discovering and supporting local, vegan businesses, entrepreneurs, and new friends.
Assorted bar soaps by Fanciful Fox
If you live in the Brooklyn area or even just visit, Vegan Shop-ups are not to be missed. After you’ve attended often enough, everybody knows your name.
The next Vegan Shop-Up is Saturday, January 14, from 11:00am – 4:00pm* at Pine Box Rock Shop, so 21 and over. Keep up with Vegan Shop-Up for upcoming events, including all-ages Shop-Ups.
* Please note the early start time is for this month only!
