New York City based contemporary retailer, has launched a podcast called coop convos, which is all things business, retail, sports and wellness. Coop convos is hosted by coop & spree CEO and founder, Brooke S. Richman, who will interview various business leaders, tastemakers, and influencers in their aforementioned industries. Since Richman is an avid New York Knicks Fan (the Spree in coop & spree comes from her childhood pup’s name which paid homage to former Knick, Latrell Sprewell), she’s even interviewed and secured some former NBA stars.

the New York City based omni-channel contemporary retailer, has been named to the Inc. 2022 Best in Business list in the Lean and Mean category. Inc.'s Best in Business Awards honor companies that have made an extraordinary impact in their fields and on society.

While the Podcast's main goal is to provide valuable and informative insights and resources to those specifically interested in entrepreneurship, retail, and wellness, Richman promises it's also filled with lighthearted banter and just the right amount of laughs.

During the start of the pandemic in March 2020, Richman moved temporarily from her NYC apartment to her childhood home in Greenwich, CT, where she learned how to code and created her e-comm website, coopandspreevip.com. Since her Elizabeth Street store in NYC was closed due to the pandemic, she had all her vendors ship her orders to her CT home where she fulfilled them. When she wasn't opening new merchandise or packaging her clients' orders, she would use Instagram live as a way to engage with her coop & spree audience, since she no longer could interact with them in person. She decided to start interviewing different designers and influencers, many of whom she knew and many of whom she had never had met, and she absolutely loved it. So did her audience. It turned into a weekly tradition and the rest, as they say, is history.

coop & spree, the New York City based omni-channel contemporary retailer, has been named to the Inc. 2022 Best in Business list in the Lean and Mean category. Inc.'s Best in Business Awards honor companies that have made an extraordinary impact in their fields and on society.

“ focus on each guest’s career path and personal story, in a relaxed format, that seems less like an interview and more like two old friends catching up”

Ms. richman saw an Instagram post from a nail salon near her store and said it was applauding a newspaper article for revealing the exploitation of underpaid and unprotected nail salon workers. On Tuesday, Ms. Richman went to the salon and grilled the manager about its labor and health conditions. “I said, I want to ensure everyone is legally paid.”

“ As with any industry, but particularly in the fast-paced climate of the retail world, don't be afraid of the hustle: embrace it. People will respect your drive and will be more likely to want to do business with you.”

Richman found that one of the advantages of Capsule, versus some of the larger, more formal commercial shows around town, was “the ability to meet and interact with the designers and owners of the brands which are exhibiting. It’s a great way to learn about a brand’s ethos and history from people who are so integral to the brand’s existence,” she said.

With merchandising and buying experience and armed with her knowledge of retail trends, Brooke decided to venture out on her own and open a traditional brick and mortar shop infused with digital perks.

“ Instilling a "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take" attitude in my employees; I encourage my employees to always ask questions and to always offer ideas and suggestions. What's the worst that can happen? In my mind, there's only tremendous upside to asking questions. Additionally, this is also my motto when dealing with our vendors. To me, the worst thing a vendor could say to me in response to a question is "no" ...and that's not so bad!”

“I picked the Doma leather jacket since it’s super soft and in Knicks blue - a great way to tel the team colors. Above all else, I have to be comfortable at the games”

coop & spree is a new shop promising the edit of hot contemporary pieces and the ease, efficiency and premium derive of online shipping in a brick & mortar space.

Plenty of boutiques peddle work-to-drinks looks - some more successfully than others but Elizabeth Street newcomer coop & spree’s owner Brooke richman really *lived* that corporate life.

“I think the set of shopping in a clothing store has been lost” says Richman, wavy-haired blonde as amped up about the Knicks as she is about the clothes.

It’s rare that sports and fashion mix. Now a chic new store in New York’s Nolita neighborhood is setting out to combine both worlds.

“High tech women’s shop coop & spree, the brainchild of Columbus Business School grad Brooke Richman opens with post collegiate classics….and incorporates digital elements into the store”

“..by night I’m cheering for the Knicks and Rangers at Madison Square Garden. MSG - aka the Mecca - is my favorite place in the world!”

“Everything is about the customer experience and the cool experiences in store. This is 2014, so I wanted to combine the beauty of a brick & mortar boutique and the conveniences and serviced that I get with my favorite e-commerce sites. “

“Designers have ample e-commerce distribution and are interested in brick & mortar stores. People want to find new things and explore Nolita… Ron Herman and Madison in Los Angeles are the the aesthetic I’m going for”