News and Events

Alice Alan

From an Elmhurst workshop, comfort shoes that don't hurt the eyes

"You have your brains in your head. You have your feet in your shoes." - Dr. Seuss

Working in design and sales for American Express had its benefits for Alice Chen, but comfy feet was not one of them. High heels were a standard part of Chen’s business attire, and eventually took their toll: Chen started experiencing problems with her feet. Her podiatrist recommended that she begin wearing orthotics, and referred her to stores carrying shoes that were good for your feet, but were, for lack of a better word, ugly. It suddenly came to Chen: What if she took the insole out from the horrendous-looking orthotic shoes and built a more beautiful design around it? She realized there was a market for stylish shoes that were not only fabulously chic, but also offered the benefits of a comfortable insole and provided good support for the feet, joints, knees, and back.

Chen decided that since no one else was making such shoes, that she would do it herself. She founded Alice Alan Shoes, which does all of its manufacturing in New York City and currently offers four basic styles and a total of 13 variations. All have luxurious fabrication and attention to detail, and offer a sleek silhouette.

New Pilot Project Farm to Bakery Connects New York City Food Manufacturers with Upstate Farmers

The New York Industrial Retention Network and the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets are collaborating on a pilot project, Farm to Factory, to develop an upstate-downstate sourcing relationship between New York State millers and New York City bakeries and food processors. Several mills have New York grown wheat, rye, emmer, spelt and other grains available for city businesses to use in their products.

Mike + Ally

Luxury Bathroom Accessories Win Fans Around the World

Mike + Ally, Inc. specialize in manufacturing luxury bathroom accessories. Bill Rosson, co-operator of the company, confesses that times are tough for small businesses today, especially for companies located in New York. In general, rental costs are making a dent in the growth of these small businesses—Mike + Ally had to move from their Madison Avenue space of fifteen years in Manhattan to their current studio space in Long Island City. As a result of this relocation, they have been able to benefit from the Relocation and Employment Assistance (REAP) and Commercial Expansion Program (CEP), two initiatives the city is currently offering to assist small businesses in New York. Rosson footnoted that the moving process was not that difficult since they had no heavy machinery to relocate between sites of production.

Despite the adjustments Mike + Ally have had to make as a result of the recession, business is in high demand, domestically and internationally. They currently hold accounts with major department stores, such as Bloomingdales, since they are one of the few companies in the U.S. that hand manufactures and designs each individual product they sell. Mike + Ally products are purchased by designers located in southeast and southwest of the country. The company’s export business has gone up exponentially in recent years as well. In fact, international sales contribute to the majority of their profit these days. Consequently, Mike + Ally currently do business in countries located in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East—during the interview their twelve employees were in the middle of designing tissue boxes with pink and purple semi-precious jewels and metals for the princess in Abu Dhabi. Mike + Ally added these international clients to their general clientele when they ran a booth in the annual Maison & Objet tradeshow in Paris (they participate in tradeshows held in the Jacob Javits Center more regularly).

Edison Price Lighting

High-end, Energy Efficient Lighting at the foot of the Edward I. Koch Bridge

“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.” ~ Aaron Rose

Edison Price Lighting is a family owned business, established by Edison Price in 1952. In its early years Edison Price Lighting used to fit the stereotypical image of a traditional manufacturer; a mass producing company that built its products in large volume via an assembly line, according to inventory. Now, Emma Price, Mr. Price’s daughter, is the current president of the company. Production is based on the needs of their lighting design clientele, which seeks Edison’s signature products: high-end, innovative, energy-efficient architectural lighting fixtures, both designed and manufactured by the company in New York City.

The company’s current manufacturing approach follows the “Just-in-Time” philosophy, enabling it to produce a continuous stream of new products, as well as fulfill significant orders on short notice. Edison maintains a reputation as a flexible and reliable supplier. Their employees, approximately 100, are divided according to tables each dedicated to assembling a type of lighting fixture. Edison capitalizes on orchestrating its manpower—if one workshop unit is not needed to manufacture a specific type of lighting to fill an order, employees relocate to another site to manufacture another product. Edison employees are trained to work at any capacity and remain flexible in what they need to accomplish on a given day—this flexibility, Edison’s ability to adapt, is key for the company’s continued independence.