Nilea Alexander and her husband, Lamine Diagne, began out with a neighborhood espresso store in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Over the previous decade, although, their modest enterprise has advanced into what they name “an expertise”. Subsequent door to Café Rue Dix, which serves Senegalese delicacies, pastries and lattes, is Marché Rue Dix, their marketplace-boutique stocked with items sourced straight from Senegal, Diagne’s birthplace. The couple’s objective is to create a one-stop vacation spot the place prospects depart with each a narrative and a chunk of Senegal.
Rue Dix, or “tenth Avenue” in French, is a nod to Diagne’s roots in Pikine, a metropolis to the east of the Senegalese capital of Dakar. “Markets are very huge in Senegal,” he stated. Guests to the cafe can order its signature dish, thiebou jen – a savory mix of jollof rice, greens and crimson snapper stew. After which they will head to the boutique, which affords all the pieces from conventional Ataya tea and an uneven crochet skirt to a gilded brass arm cuff and a bucket bag constructed from rope and plastic.
Alexander, 43, initially from Atlanta, moved to Brooklyn in 2002, after graduating school. Diagne, 46, arrived in New York from Senegal at age 14. The couple married in 2011 and shortly settled in Crown Heights. Again then, Diagne would experience his scooter to Harlem’s Le Petit Sénégal space to seek out the flavors of house. Although just a few fashionable spots like Le Baobab on Fulton Avenue supplied west African meals, the pair wished to create an area the place Brooklynites may discover a Senegalese menu with out making a daylong tour of it. “Previous to Lamine, I hadn’t eaten a lot Senegalese meals and didn’t perceive the nuances of African delicacies,” stated Alexander. “We figured if we needed to depart the neighborhood for it, possibly different individuals did, too.”
Navigating the complexities of New York Metropolis’s allow course of and a raft of retail hurdles with restricted capital proved tough. However their backgrounds served them in good stead.
Diagne had honed his culinary expertise as a cook dinner on the Soho bistro L’Orange Bleue; Alexander had spent over a decade in retail at City Outfitters and promoting classic items at Brooklyn Flea. And now, whereas she oversees the boutique’s decor and product curation, Diagne manages the cafe. In 2018, the pair added an in-shop nail studio, which they name a “love letter to the Black femmes who got here earlier than us and pioneered nail artistry”. The studio focuses on putting nail extensions embellished with gold, neon and geometric designs.
Simply final month, they expanded their choices: the pair opened an in-boutique hair salon targeted on pure types and braiding. “Retail taught me that issues occur in ebbs and flows, however with experiences, you may hold individuals coming again,” stated Alexander.
What was the most important impediment you confronted opening a enterprise?
Alexander: The buildout was the toughest factor for us. It took for much longer than we thought. If you’re engaged on a restaurant, you must be concerned with the division of buildings, the brand new enterprise affiliation and the division of well being. There have been so many layers that may trigger delays.
Diagne: Our largest drawback was a scarcity of expertise. Once we opened, we had been at two fats zeros. No extra money [laughs].
How do you curate the products for Marché Rue Dix?
Alexander: Senegal is all the time the bottom. Once I first visited in 2012, I used to be overwhelmed by the visuals, the sense, the scent, the materials. We began off promoting espresso, tea and incense within the restaurant. The espresso is from town of Tuba, made with pepper and spices. Folks went on and on about our sizzling sauce, so we began bottling it. We began bringing objects again from Senegal. Then I began designing myself and launched our DSS-to-JFK line – named for the airports in Dakar and New York. That got here from watching my husband and his household and pals who grew up right here and have that New York swagger however are nonetheless very Senegalese.
How do the nail studio and hair salon match into the Rue Dix expertise?
Alexander: I’ve all the time been into providers. I had a good friend who was promoting pure nail polish. I used to be carrying her model on the store, and he or she wished to get into doing nails. At first, I rented her a bit of two-seater proper by the money register. She ended up on a unique profession path, however I wished to go all-in with it, so we moved the toilet and put in a pedicure chair, and there was no turning again from there. As a part of our enlargement, we took on a 3rd storefront we had our eye on earlier than the financial system began getting loopy.
New York state noticed an 8.1% improve in new enterprise purposes on the high of 2024, which is encouraging to budding entrepreneurs. What recommendation would you give to them, particularly these in Brooklyn?
Diagne: When issues are gradual, you go gradual. When it’s excessive, you steadiness it out. It’s all about steadiness.
Alexander: Nothing is straightforward, and nothing is quick. Normally, when it’s quick, there’s a worth for that. What I’ve realized about gen Z is that they’re keen to pay for experiences.
What’s the last word reward for you two as enterprise house owners?
Alexander: Having a enterprise that may outlive us. My daughter can change her thoughts tomorrow, and that’s OK, however when you ask her as we speak, she needs to be a enterprise proprietor.
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