There are few communities in America that have undergone a more visible, oft-scrutinized, and drastic demographic upheaval than Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood. But one young retailer has successfully navigated the complex task of maintaining his father’s legacy and positioning his store for future growth in this environment.
It’s perhaps for this reason he’s one of this year’s Young Retailer of the Year honorees. But Joseph Franquinha, owner of Brooklyn’s Crest True Value Hardware and Urban Garden Center, founded in 1962, is also in possession of a “creative fire” (and a visionary sense for what makes that whole “Urban Garden Center” part successful).
