Five Women-Owned Businesses We Love in Upstate New York
Look no further than the upstate landscape for talented women pushing the economy forward by way of their unique and inspiring businesses. Here at And North, we can’t help but feel empowered by their strong sense of focus, entrepreneurial insight, and collaborative spirit when it comes to supporting themselves and their growing communities. In celebration of what we hope becomes more widespread as time marches on, we’ve compiled five upstate businesses we admire, all founded and owned by women.
Words by Sylvie Morgan Brown and Camilla Ffrench
Hannah Black and Carla Perez-Gallardo
Hannah Black and Carla Perez-Gallardo are the owners and artist-chefs behind Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, a casual yet vivacious restaurant serving up tropical comfort food in Hudson, NY. The two met while running a Vietnamese food truck in nearby Catskill. When the season came to an end, they started a catering company called Table | Table, hosting pop-up events and collaborating with local artists and galleries. In January 2016, after a weeklong pop-up at Art Basel Miami, they returned to the Hudson Valley and enthusiastically agreed to take over Debbie’s Lil’ Restaurant, a longtime breakfast spot whose owner, Debbie Fiero, was looking to retire. “Hudson was the perfect place to break ground at our level — we didn't need big investments or capital to get our project off the ground,” says Hannah and Carla, who kept Debbie’s name in the space to honor her legacy. “With the support of our artistic community, our family and friends, we were able to make magic happen with very little means. This is not to say that we haven't had several moments of dire stress — it’s hard, but somehow all the pieces seem to come together at the last minute and collectively we find a creative solution.”
Hudson, NY
128 miles from New York City
Images by Les Guzman and Lil’ Deb’s Oasis
Franca Fusco
Set in the quaint village of Chatham, about two hours north of the city, is Boxwood Linen, a sun-drenched storefront offering high quality linen items for the home, as well as a curated selection of tableware, serveware, and fragrances. Every Boxwood piece is hand cut and sewn by Toronto-born designer and founder Franca Fusco, a fashion industry veteran who launched her atelier-style business in 1999 while still living in Pennsylvania. Franca, who moved upstate eight years ago, draws inspiration from the trade she left behind and leans on the old-world sewing techniques she mastered as a student. “I knew I wanted to start my own business,” says Franca, who is mindful of the idea that if you are good at something, people will come to you. “The harder I work, the better luck I have. When you’re self- employed, you need to be super dedicated, tenacious, and absolutely love what you do. If you cannot imagine doing anything else, then you’re in the right business.”
Chatham, NY
132 miles from New York City
Photos by Boxwood Linen
Casey Scieszka
Dreams of renovating a Moroccan riad and turning it into a guesthouse is what inspired Brooklyn writer and graphic designer Casey Scieszka to scour the Catskills for a hotel property to call her own. Today, she runs Spruceton Inn, a popular bed and bar in the foothills of West Kill Mountain in West Kill, NY. Dating back to the early 1800s, the inn had seen many incarnations — from a Dutch farm, to The Schwarzenegger’s Sunshine Valley House, to a private family home — but when Casey became proprietor, the intent was on creating a clean, minimalist escape where the stars came out and the beds got made. “My mantra when opening the inn was Everything will get done because it has to,” says Casey. “I must have told myself that ten times a day because, frankly, there were points when it seemed impossible — this idea that all fifty thousand things you have to do to open your business will get done. And it's not just the sheer amount of tasks, it's the variety. There were days when I would spend the morning finalizing our liquor application, the afternoon ordering sample linens, and the evenings designing our website. That's a lot of different hats. But that's exactly what I wanted — to have my hand in everything. And you know what? Everything got done because it had to!”
West Kill, NY
139 miles from New York City
Images by Nana Hagel and Natalie Chitwood
Rebecca Ffrench
Inspired by the magic of sharing a meal around a table, cookbook author, recipe developer, and cake-maker Rebecca Ffrench started The Upstate Table in Kingston, NY. This cakery and cooking studio—that hosts private events, photoshoots, cooking workshops and more—was born out of her passion for connecting people through food. The Upstate Table has found a home in the Fuller Building, a former shirt factory built in 1906, with a space that boasts six-and-a-half-foot-tall paned-glass windows, a studio and commercial kitchen, and two locally-crafted dining tables that seat up to twenty, always adorned with candles and fresh flowers. Before the tables could be set, however, Rebecca faced the challenge of building her business during the pandemic. “I now understand fully when I hear entrepreneurs say they have an undying passion for an idea,” Rebecca says. “I learned to install cabinet doors by myself, hang chalkboard laminate with my daughter, and repurpose items whose fate was otherwise trash-bound.” While safety restrictions currently limit the size of gatherings, The Upstate Table is now offering private events, pod cooking and baking workshops, and custom cake orders—via their website, you can schedule an appointment to visit the beautiful space in Kingston.
Kingston, NY
100 miles from New York City
Images by Rikki Snyder and Camilla Ffrench
Fahari Wambura
In 2015, Tanzania-native Fahari Wambura started Fahari Bazaar intent on creating opportunities for women back home. When she emigrated to Manhattan in 2011, “I didn’t know what to do or where to start”, says Fahari. She found her direction when she moved upstate to Columbia County, a small town surrounded by nature that made her feel at home. A year later she started her business in Chatham, New York. Fahari Bazaar features vibrant clothing and bags—designed and sewn by Fahari in-house—, as well as handwoven baskets, and hand-printed and -dyed fabric made by artisans in Tanzania. “Where I come from, the women carry a heavier load. They are responsible for nurturing the young, and caring for the old. They are tasked with keeping the family together, and making sure everyone is fed and clothed,” Fahari says. “As an African woman I understand the challenges these women face. I know how hard they work, I have witnessed the sacrifices they make, and I can relate to their struggle to work and make a living. My hope is that through this business, I can support women by creating sustainable opportunities.” Visit the shop in Chatham to see its ever-rotating inventory of gorgeous artisan goods and hand made clothes.
Chatham, NY
132 miles from New York City
Images by Fahari Bazaar