Experiencing Manhattan Sideways — A Must-Read Blog for New Yorkers & Visitors Alike
May 22, 2013  |  News & Events

There’s a great new blog in town that I want to share with all our “NY-Centric” friends and family called Manhattan Sideways. Patty and I were fortunate enough to be “discovered” by the blog’s author a few weeks ago on one of her zig-zagging excursions along Manhattan’s side streets. According to Betsy, the site’s founder and primary author, what began as a “whimsical idea” of walking the side streets of New York and  documenting all the wonderful little businesses that make Manhattan such an extraordinary place quickly developed into the grander concept for ManhattanSideways.com.

Patty Tobin jewelry store nyc 108 W 17th Street by Manhattan Sideways

Jewelry designer, Patty Tobin, and her W. 17th Street jewelry boutique are the perfect example of the "hidden gems" Betsy and her team hope to discover and share with native New Yorkers and tourists alike.

Betsy’s mission: To explore the treasures of the side streets and document each and every place.

From great little shopping destinations to bars and restaurants to home furnishing, galleries, gardens and much more, Betsy and her team “pound the pavement and share their stories.”

Taking it one street at a time, Betsy and her team weave their way through the side streets of New York, meandering from east to west and back again; all the while highlighting the many small businesses and the people behind them that make up the wonderfully distinctive character of New York City, but who too often get overlooked or are left undiscovered to the masses.

“Spending time with Patty Tobin inevitably puts a smile on anyone’s face. One cannot escape her sweetness and positive, endless energy.”

Patty Tobin Jewelry Made In New York 108 W. 17th Street New York NY

Inside Patty Tobin's Fine Fashion Jewelry Boutique, you will find a one-of-a-kind collection of semi- precious gemstone and pearl jewelry, all handcrafted and Made In New York. Shown above: Carnelian Briolette Necklace, $695.

As one of these small businesses, tucked away on our little section of 17th Street, no one understands how this works better than Patty and me. We hear from people all the time how happy they are that they “stumbled” on us, and how they never knew we were here, despite frequenting the neighborhood often or living right around the corner for years. It’s a common story and one that is known all too well by small business in any major city, but especially New York.

Getting the word out about who you are, where you are, and why you are so special and worth a trip downtown, uptown, crosstown, etc, is arguably the greatest challenge for small independent boutiques like ours.

Every little shop’s dream is to get discovered by a highly publicized outlet that specializes in Shopping and Retail destinations and who already has a well developed readership and access to a wide range of audiences. Getting free publicity from such a high-profile resource can make all the difference in the world to an independent business like Patty Tobin. Only, trying to capture the attention of the big media outlets is a lot harder than you might think. It always makes me think of trying to hop a 20-foot fence with one hand tied behind your back.

You can understand then why it was not only exciting, but terribly refreshing to meet a woman like Betsy with her vision of promoting the many independently-owned businesses that give Manhattan its distinct character.

I was particularly touched by the personal reflection on Patty and I that Betsy incorporated into her write-up on our shop. I want to share my favorite little snippet from the description that went up on their site last week as part of their “Meet 17th Street” feature story.

“Patty’s fine fashion jewelry shop was another one of those pleasant surprises that I discovered while strolling on 17th, and meeting both Patty and her niece, Teal, made the experience even more gratifying. It became obvious immediately that the two are all about customer service. In their own lovely way, they establish a relationship with each person who walks through their door, and it seems that many continue to return time after time.”

– Betsy, Manhattan Sideways

You can read the full story on Patty Tobin here. And while you’re at it, check out the great feature on 17th Street here.

We can’t encourage you enough to take a moment to check them out and share them with your friends and family. Whether you are a born and raised New Yorker, or an adopted one like myself, or even a tourist coming in for a visit, ManhattanSideways.com is a fantastic resource for everyone coming to or living in the New York City area.

Help them, help businesses like us! Let’s grow their following, so they can keep doing what they do best — strolling for buried treasures like us and sharing their discoveries with the world!


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