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NEVERMORE OFFERS ONE-STOP SHOPPING FOR 'METAL' FANS
The Nevermore Store, located in a suite at 933 Southern Boulevard, has a full range of apparel, shoes, dolls, action figures, hair dye and accessories appealing to people who are interested in gothic and heavy metal lifestyles. “Heavy metal is one word which I use to describe a lifestyle that includes metal, but also punk rock, emo, black metal, and more,” Raven Cardona, the owner, explained. “The idea for the Nevermore Store came to me about six months ago,” Cardona added. “I had started out on-line last February, and the idea grew from there.” Raven began to frequent the shops catering to metal heads in Greenwich Village in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but then most of those businesses closed. A mall-based chain store, called Hot Topic, still catered to the crowd, but there wasn't one nearby. When Raven realized there was a need for a shop closer to home, The Nevermore Store was born. Raven first got heavily into heavy metal about 10 years ago when she was listening to Marilyn Manson during her pregnancy. “I loved the music and the fashion – I was once a fashion student,” she notes, adding that her goal is to dominate the Bronx. “My store is one-stop-shopping for metal heads,” Raven proudly states. She has no qualms about her slogan or her lifestyle. “It has grown into a successful business and a meeting place for people – who I like to call The Nevermore Store groupies -- sharing the same interests.” With help from the Women's Business Resource Center in Hunt's Point, Raven was able to secure funding for what has become the epicenter of the Bronx's metal scene. She says that financially the store is a gradually evolving process, but that the bottom line keeps looking better. The Nevermore Store caters to the crowd with apparel by TRIP NYC, dolls and action figures from Bleeding Edge, and a MySpace page that she says allows her to inform some customers about new products. “Everyone has helped me out in this business,” said Raven. “I have volunteers who hand out business cards and do Internet postings. I am so thankful for their support. I love this. Bang your heads.” If you like your life raw, loud, and in your face, contact The Nevermore Store at (347) 302 - 8313, or via the web at either www.thenevermorestore.com or through their Myspace page at www.myspace.com/thenevermorestore. Bronx Times Reporter Stories for the Week - Concern over 2 worksites [READ] |
WOMEN, MINORITIES RECEIVE BUSINESS BOOST
by Patrick Rocchio
Women and minorities in the Bronx will no longer have to go it alone when it comes to small-business opportunities. The Women's Business Resource Center has them covered.
The WBRC, located at 866 B Hunts Point Avenue, provides business counselors for women to help them develop a business plan, register a business, identify loan opportunities, manage business financing, and to assist with marketing and sales.
Furthermore, the WBRC has computer-training programs, provides mentoring, and offers many seminars and workshops, including the Entrepreneurial Assistance Program, which is sponsored by the Empire State Development Corporation.
The Entrepreneurial Assistance program offers a rigorous 60-hour curriculum that takes two-months to complete. When the program is over, the participants have a graduation ceremony, and they are presented with a certificate of completion and a one-year business plan. Students learn the knowledge and skills necessary to open and run a small business for the first year.
“One of the main obstacles to for women who want to start a new business is to obtain financing,” said Neomi Beltraz, WBRC program director. “Many of our clients need to create a reasonable credit report.”
To that effect, the WBRC has partnered with Accion New York , a lending institution that helps individuals establish credit for the first time or repair credit. Accion offers loans for up to $50,000 to start a small business.
One small business that the WBRC has helped is The Nevermore Store, located in a sublet space at 933 Southern Boulevard. Raven Cardona founded the Nevermore Store late last year. It has become the first store catering to heavy metal music enthusiasts in the Hunts Point area. Started with a grant, Cardona is now thinking of expanding her business to an entire storefront.
“I wanted to open up a store like this one – one stop shopping for metal heads – because there wasn't a store like this in the Bronx ,” Cardona said.
Ms. Cardona is applying for a $5,000 loan to move to a larger space, with the WBRC assisting in the process. Cardona first came to the WBRC in August 2007 and received a $700 “Trickle-Up” grant. In addition, the WBRC is providing Raven with one-on-one training in English.
“The WBRC helped me to obtain the financing I needed to increase my inventory and promote my business. I recommend the WBRC service to any woman that is trying to open up her own business,” Cardona stated.
The WBRC has just finished sponsoring a series of workshops to teach women and minorities the fundamentals of owning their own businesses, and will sponsor more in the future. These workshops cover practical topics such as accounting 101, credit management, taxation, and credit management. The workshops are held Jerome Hall at Monroe College at 2468 Jerome Avenue.
The organization is part of the Hunts Point Economic Development Corporation. The Business Outreach Resource Center, the NYC Department of Small Business Services, the Empire State Development Corporation, and the US Small Business Administration provide additional funding.
For more information on the WBRC, call (718) 842 – 8888 or visit them on the web at www.hpwbrc.org.
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At the tender age of 30, Raven Cardona has experienced a lifetime of fumbles and breaks of someone twice her age. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York has shaped this Latina mother of 3 into a proud parent and a Heavy Metal Rocking Business woman.
In 5 short years Raven Cardona has went from being homeless to turning her life around with a family and opening up the first Latino owned Heavy Metal boutique in the Bronx oddly enough called “The Nevermore Store”. The inspiration behind The Nevermore Store came out of lack of places to shop for Heavy Metal accessories. The Bronx has been recognized on a national level for the birth of Hip Hop now Raven intends on making it famous for another music genre Heavy Metal.
Raven was inspired to open The Nevermore Store in the Bronx due to a lack of Heavy Metal shops in the borough. The store has turned into a Mecca for Heavy Metal kids. Fans of Heavy Metal no longer have to trek to the East Village to shop for items and hear the sounds of music downtown. Raven has managed to create a warm environment for Metal heads to shop and hang out. In 6 months Raven has created quite the Buzz of veteran shops.
The Nevermore Store sets itself apart from other Metal shops in so many ways. Raven Cardona runs her store as she raises her children with lots of love and care. Raven is passionate about the music and The Nevermore store fashion and fun embraces Heavy Metal culture in a positive way to keep the rockers coming back for more.
Ever had a hankering for a spiked bracelet or platform shoes with skulls on them? Well, if you are one of the heavy metal heads that have had to travel to Manhattan or Westchester to pick up your gear, you are in luck.