Meet the Owner: Sycamore

Wander down Cortelyou Rd. and there's no way you can miss . Only days away from its Sept. 8 four-year anniversary, Sycamore has become a staple of the Ditmas Park community, something owner Justin Israelson strived for.

It's All in the (Cortelyou Rd.) Family

For those who enjoy frequenting the unique shop, thank fellow Cortelyou Rd. business . "My buddy Gary Jonas and his wife Allison McDowell moved down here 7 or 8 years ago, and opened the Farm in 2006," Israelson said.

Israelson and Jonas have been life-long friends, coming from families from South Africa that moved to Texas when they were little. Once grown, they both moved to New York within a few years of each other, and Israelson helped to get The Farm off its feet. 

"They realized how busy their bar was getting and said let’s open a bar." 

So, Israelson, Jonas and McDowell set out to make their idea a reality. But they wanted to open more than just a bar. 

"We liked the idea of combining two businesses in one place, like Marlow and Sons in Williamsburg where there's a little grocery shop up front and a dining space in the back," Israelson said. "We came up with a bunch of crazy ideas, and then Allison threw the idea for a flower shop out there."

Influenced by flower shops like Saipua in Red Hook, the trio created the flower shop in the front. "And this keeps the business open for longer," Israelson said.

"This is the perfect place for boyfriend. If he's not in a fight, he can come in for flowers. If he is in a fight, he can come talk to bar tender, realize he's wrong and then get flowers," Israelson joked.

A Business for the Community, by the Community 

Much of the atmosphere experienced by patrons is thanks, in part, to fellow community members. "Four to six months down the road, local musicians that are friends asked if we could put up a space where they could perform," Israelson said. The space has transformed into a staple of the business, including weekly and themed music series.

While the community has helped to shape Sycamore, Sycamore is also returning the favor. "We try to be involved as much as possible," Israelson said, noting that giving back to institution such as the Cortelyou Library and local public schools is important to him and his partners. 

"We've donated time and money to the public library, donating planters and improving its facade," he continued. "This is a community. We just try to be part of the community."

Four Years Down the Line, Still Constantly Improving

Though the business is as successful as its ever been, Israelson and his business partners continue to develop its offerings. 

"We've just hired a full-time manager, Matt Barclay," Israelson said. "He was the sellerman at Beer Craft, he ran the beer department. He is recurating the draft system and the beer list and coming up with interesting events."

"We consider ourselves to be a neighborhood bar," he said. "We set out to create an atmosphere of a place were we'd like to hang out."