It's 9:15 on a Sunday morning and, in a sacrament of sorts not so dissimilar from a procession of Catholic Church-goers lined up for communion, a crowd has already gathered. By ten o'clock, patrons have queued up nearly out the door while the baristas hurry about their work, engaging with many of the customers on a first name basis. The Zombies are playing from the Cafe's speakers as the M train screeches along its elevated track. Run on a business model of Love, there's little wonder so many are drawn to Little Skips.
The area’s first establishment of its kind, Little Skips quickly became a community staple that has endured since creation. Out front on one of the wooden chairs that outline the cafes corner exterior sits local artist and self-declared first customer of Little Skips, Richard Haines. Exchanging pleasantries with many of those coming and going, Haines has lived in the area since before the cafes inception, when the location was occupied by “Ashley Carburetor, Inc.” the sign for which still hangs behind the counter.
“This was the first place to open up where you could get a decent cup of coffee, but it immediately became so much more than that,” remarked Haines. Compared to the cookie cutter, corporatized coffee chains that occupy almost every City block, Little Skips has a charm uniquely its own. On the corner of Myrtle and Willoughby, among the patchy pavement and peeling steel infrastructure, the café’s bright yellow cornice, poster-ed pillar, and colorful wall art make it a point of navigation.
Inside, with a patterned tin ceiling, exposed brick and Victorian era trim work, the venue is a den of chandeliers and hanging strings of construction paper hearts. With walls painted in squares of warm blue and muted orange, a large collection of miscellaneous seating arrangements make for a hive of activity, whether one needs to get some work done hunched behind a laptop or nurse a weekend hangover.
Beyond the strappings of its physical presence, many find something else very much present and come to regard Little Skips not just as a coffee shop, but as a second home. With a regular cast of characters, it’s a place of connection to daily public life in Bushwick. It’s almost family, or at least as Haines believes, “…it’s like Cheers, Bushwick Cheers.”
The Outpost, one of this years HUB’s for BOS, is located at 1665 Norman St. in Ridgewood off the Halsey stop of the “L” train. Opening the first night of BOS is a group show entitled Far From Now, a video and digital media exploration into a wide range of subject matter curated by Caroline Cox.
Far From Now includes works by Perry Bard, Janet Bigg, David Brody, Richard Haley, Kristen Lucas, a joint project by David Stone and Stephen Kaltenbach, and Ridgewood artist Matt Freedman. Freedman’s video Golem Of Ridgewood, takes place in the year 1940 in Ridgewood. His story centers around the building of a suit of armor for a Golem, shot from the perspective of a 13 year old boy.
The Opening, May 31st, is from 7:00-10:00. The exhibition runs through June 28th 2013. Hours are 1-6 Friday,Saturday,and Sunday.
