Author Archives: Darren Castro

The interior of Press. Photo by Darren Castro

As co-owner and manager of the Press Restaurant situated on 34 East 23rd Street between numerous businesses, both big and small, Jimmy Shabtay feels his most important job is overseeing the daily hustle and bustle of the New York customer. He feels the first goal of Press is customer service, making sure their patrons get the exact experience they want from their visit. Customer Michelle Salinas says she enjoys stopping by for lunch because “they know people may be busy and in a rush, but they still do a great job regardless.”

Dough for the trademark pressing machine. Photo by Gretchen R.

One of the most striking things customers waiting in line will notice is the dough pressing machine which is a trademark of the franchise. Seeing such a unique display of preparation adds an interesting visual flair that helps hook-in new customers and keeps them coming back. Shabtay says, “the most important thing is the food being consistent. We make everything in-house.” Updates to the offered selection are important, and over time Press has added new items, such as turkey, tuna and chicken teriyaki. “We have to always refresh the menu…especially those customers that keep coming back four or five times a week, you want to give them more options and more reasons to keep coming back.”

At Press, it’s always customer’s choice. Photo by Darren Castro

Whether it’s the food or the service, when customers come back three or four times a week, Shabtay feels it is indicative of a job well done. He acknowledges that there are a ton of options in the area, and the fact that customers choose his little corner of the block to eat is “a great drive to keep going with what we’re doing.”

A customer peruses the comic racks. Photo by Darren Castro

Everybody needs a hero.

The decision to move away from selling comics by longtime comic book shop Vector Books in the Bayonne, New Jersey area was a painful punch to the heart of the city’s devout superhero following. What was once a thriving market in the 90’s now struggles to survive in the face of digital distribution, iPads, games and movies all taking the medium’s characters to bigger and wider audiences. This has left fans of the old brick and mortar stores with a dilemma as comic book and trading card shops (often one and the same these days to help bolster sales) face tough competition from the Internet Age.

Father and son browse the DC Comics section. Photo by Darren Castro

Manifest Comics looks to fill the gap left by Vector and other long-gone shops such as Bayonne Comics by being leaner and smarter than the stores of old. Located on the second floor of an apartment complex between 33^rd and 34^th street on Bayonne’s Broadway district, Manifest is a humble little shop that seeks a more intimate connection with its customers.

From card game jockeys to comic book aficionados, Manifest hopes to excite the city’s fanbase with special product launch events that let the people of Bayonne enjoy their much beloved hobbies with familiar friends who have been through all the unfortunate closings of the past.

Owner Michael Chen with a customer. Photo by Darren Castro

Owner Michael Chen is not afraid of the digital age encroaching on traditional shops. “I wanted to make sure that people could have a place to hang out,” says Chen. “People buy their books online because they don’t have a place like this.” Manifest has a spacious area with couches, tables and chairs to facilitate both comic readers and card players.

Chen says, “I know how much a comic shop means to a community. There’s something really visceral about holding really great art in your hands.”