A cafe, NFT gallery and shop under one roof

Never have I been to a place where I could pick up arguably the best matcha, shop Martine Rose garments and make my own NFT. That was until I visited SEED Brklyn, Brooklyn’s cool unique gem.

Located in Brooklyn’s historic Bedford–Stuyvesant, or Bed-Stuy, neighborhood, SEED Brklyn is many things, but boring is not one of them.

Launched at the end of October, the multi-functional space comes as a coffee shop, sneaker laundromat, art gallery and – take a deep breath – a shop all in one place. Although, the gallery, which includes an NFT experience, is technically right next door (but you get the point).

SEED founder and artist Christophe Robert’s favorite spot at the Bedford Ave location? Hint: it’s not inside. Roberts tells us his preferred area is across the street, where he occasionally stands and watches curious passers-by visit the place he’s worked to bring to life for over five years.

As I entered the first of its kind, I was greeted with greenery all around. Vines dangled from the ceiling of the greenhouse-style cafe, while eco-friendly artificial and live plants draped the gray walls of the retail space.

As for the contemporary nature aesthetic, Roberts, who gave me a tour of the space, stated that he wanted to make visitors feel like they were in “another world.” Well, mission accomplished (in a good way, that is).

As I made my way through the room with some tasty matcha in hand, SEED came across as both inviting and visually appealing – a nice break from the throbbing, minimalist shops, which often feel only accessible to their upper-class customers.

Inside the space dedicated to shopping, plant-inspired racks and shelves boasted garments from brands such as Maharishi, Martine Rose, UNDERCOVER and 424 — brands that Roberts believed “represented all sides of New York City.”

“I love brands with a utilitarian vibe and a sustainability component. And I wanted to share that with our community,” stated Roberts.

“But mostly, I wanted an original brand matrix. I wanted to introduce and sell unique brands in Bed-Stuy, a neighborhood where you won’t be able to find brands or designers like those featured in our store.”

At the same time, Roberts also holds space on the racks for several brands, including rising and even local brands founded in Brooklyn.

SEED’s vision extends far beyond the cool design and neat experiences. In fact, Roberts launched the site with the community in mind, especially Bed-Stuy locals.

While SEED celebrates the neighborhood home to culture changers like Jay-Z, Jackie Robinson and Lil Kim, it also inspires and fuels the creative minds of tomorrow.

“So many of the creative people who live in this neighborhood and across Brooklyn often had to walk across the bridge just to get the tools they needed to create,” Roberts said.

“I wanted to cultivate a space close to home where creatives can get the tools they need—a book or a cup of the best matcha—right in their backyard.”

As for the future, Roberts will undoubtedly continue to – if I may – plant SEED in the community through events and activations aimed at providing resources to local artistic minds (for those wondering, they have a web3 panel on November 22 ).

“For me, SEED symbolizes the passing of the baton, in that it inspires other creatives to realize that they can do this too, and also launch their own conceptual spaces around the world.”