Friends NYC began in 2012 as a friendship pact between wannabe-sisters Mary Meyer and Emma Kadar-Penner. Mary’s experience as a fashion designer and Emma’s knowledge of fashion history and obsession for thrifting united to create the Friends NYC brand.  

We wanted to take our business to the next level, and that means getting serious when it comes to protecting ourselves legally.

GL: Tell us a little about you and your business!

FN: Friends NYC is a 2200-square-foot indie department store / retail goodness. We have something for everyone, and carry women’s and men’s, contemporary and vintage clothing, accessories, and home goods. We love supporting our talented friends, and are chock full of beautiful products from local Brooklyn artists and world-wide designers.

GL: What’s your favorite part of what you do?

FN: We love creating what we call the World of Friends – we (and our customers) see our store as a magical land where they can all escape day-to-day difficulties and have fun and get cute! We also love our loyal customers and staff.

Our business has integrated us into the community and we are grateful for the relationships that have developed because of Friends NYC. When the work day is done, we also love shopping in our own store!

GL: What were some challenges you faced along the way?

FN: When we initially started our business, we were flying by the seat of our pants. We didn’t know much about running a business, inventory management, or human resources. It has been a rewarding challenge learning and growing into our positions as business owners.

GL: What made you seek out Gouchev Law?

FN: As our business grows, we’ve been hearing horror stories from other small business owners and that finally pushed us to reach out to Gouchev Law. We wanted to take our business to the next level, and that means getting serious when it comes to protecting ourselves legally. Committing fully to investing in our business was a scary decision, but was totally worth it!

GL: Can you share a little about what type of work we do for you?

FN: Brand protection is so important for us as we’ve worked hard to create a very special mark in the world with our brand. Gouchev Law has been so helpful in the trademark registration process. Working with the firm has been very easy and seamless!

GL: How would you define what success means for yourself and your company?

FN: Success for us is most importantly about personal happiness. If we are not happy and fulfilled, the business suffers. Continued growth also defines our success – whether it be in dollars, new customers, new press coverage, or just new products, we do not want to remain stagnant.

GL: We know exciting things are in store for you. Can you share a sneak peek of plans for the next couple of years?

FN: We are very proud of our online store (www.friendsnyc.com) and hope to see continued success with it! We hope to grow the online side of our business and also grow brand awareness outside of Brooklyn, as we eventually would like to open another retail store.

At Gouchev Law, we become a key part of our client’s team. Call us at (212) 537-9209 or click below to speak with one of our senior attorneys to start a successful partnership.

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