'Williamsburg Isn't Dead': Brooklyn-Born Sneaker Brand Holds Its Ground

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To say that Ryan Babenzien loves Brooklyn would be an understatement

In August 2013, the Williamsburg-based entrepreneur partnered with pal Jon Buscemi to found the first ever "Brooklyn-born" men's sneaker company: Greats.

"I originally wanted to start the company in Los Angeles, where I'd been living since college," said Babenzien. “But Brooklyn just seemed to embody everything I envisioned for our brand. The area is an international influencer of style; people are interested in design and fashionWilliamsburg is New York's version of Santa Monica."

Babenzien is confident in his belief that the Williamsburg neighborhood, which many feel peaked in the early 2000s, "isn't over," and that its inhabitants continue to be more youthful and progressive than their neighbors across the river Read more...

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