Friends Nyc

What Friends Nyc does

Friends NYC is a privately held, independent lifestyle retailer founded in 2012 in Brooklyn, New York. The company operates a dual-channel model: a Shopify-powered direct-to-consumer e-commerce site (friendsnyc.com) and a brick-and-mortar flagship at 56 Bogart Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn, open 11:00 AM to 8:30 PM. It positions itself as "The Best Gift Store in NY," curating a diverse assortment spanning toys and blind boxes (Smiski, Sonny Angel, Monchhichi, Miffy), a full smoke-shop line (glass pipes, bongs, grinders, lighters), home decor (candles, incense, lighting, vases), beauty and skincare (Beauty of Joseon, Laneige, COSRX, Vacation Inc.), fashion accessories (Baggu, Edie Parker), and books and stationery. The store also operates themed sub-collections such as Pink Smoke Shop, Dreamy Room Decor, and Garden Core, and offers branded Friends NYC gift cards and co-branded collaborations including Friends NYC x P.F. Candle Co. and Friends NYC x Maptote.

The business generates revenue exclusively through direct retail sales (one-time purchase, unit pricing), with no subscription, licensing, or wholesale channel evident. Individual SKUs range from approximately $1.99 (cigarette pencil) to $69.99 (Squishmas Advent Calendar); shipping is free for domestic US orders over $75 and $6.99 flat below that threshold. Customer segments are horizontally diversified across gift buyers (birthdays, bachelorettes, housewarmings, weddings), kawaii/blind-box collectors, aesthetic-lifestyle seekers, and smoke-shop customers, with no enterprise or B2B accounts. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer with marketing concentrated in email newsletter, organic social (TikTok and Instagram), and SEO-driven category merchandising, supported by a "Get on the List" restock notification system and trend-curated storefronts such as "TikTok Made Me Do It."

Name

Friends Nyc

Website

https://friendsnyc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Friends NYC is a Brooklyn-based independent lifestyle retailer founded in 2012, operating a Shopify-powered online store and a Bushwick flagship that sells curated gifts, kawaii collectibles, smoke accessories, home decor, beauty, and books directly to individual consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Direct Retail Sales: Revenue is generated through direct-to-consumer retail sales of curated gift items, blind boxes, toys, home decor, beauty products, and smoke shop accessories. Sales occur both online through the Shopify e-commerce platform and in-store at the Brooklyn retail location.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Friends NYC is a Brooklyn-based specialty gift shop and lifestyle retailer that curates and sells unique, quirky, and kawaii-inspired products across multiple categories including toys and blind boxes, smoke accessories, home decor, beauty and skincare, fashion accessories, books and stationery, and themed gift collections. The business operates a dual-channel model combining an online Shopify storefront (friendsnyc.com) with a physical flagship store in Bushwick, Brooklyn featuring in-store-only exclusives. It positions itself as 'The Best Gift Store in NY' and offers exclusive collaborations such as Friends NYC x P.F. Candle Co and Friends NYC x Maptote.

Product overview

Friends NYC is a Brooklyn-based gift shop and lifestyle retail store offering a diverse portfolio of curated products across multiple categories. The business operates primarily as a unified retail platform with dedicated collections for toys and blind boxes (featuring kawaii collectibles like Smiski, Sonny Angel, and Miffy), a full smoke shop (glass pipes, bongs, lighters, grinders), home decor (candles, incense, lighting), beauty and skincare products, accessories (bags, jewelry, keychains), books and stationery, and general gift items. The store also features branded sub-categories including the Pink Smoke Shop (feminine smoke accessories) and Dreamy Room Decor (atmospheric home items). Friends NYC operates both online and from a brick-and-mortar location in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and sells its own gift cards. The company positions itself as a destination for unique, quirky, and giftable items with a focus on limited editions and exclusive collaborations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MaptoteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative product partnership producing the 'Friends NYC x Maptote Bushwick Canvas Tote Bag' - an exclusive branded tote bag combining both brand identities. Available in-store and online with a 40% discount applied.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FriendsNYC
• Facebookfacebook.com/friendsNYC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friendsnyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Friends Nyc