During the summer of 2020, when many New York businesses were struggling after COVID-19 closures, I wrote a weekly column called “Fridays Under $40” for a beloved website covering Lower Manhattan. Each Friday, I’d post a first-person recap of a walkabout and itinerary, offering ideas on how to to be a tourist in your own city with shopping, dining and recreation ideas for under $40.

Each column had a different theme, and all of them put a spotlight on independent, immigrant-owned and small, local businesses.