Cookbook author and food personality Alison Roman has announced plans to expand her boutique grocery brand, First Bloom, into a permanent Brooklyn location this fall. The new venture marks a significant shift from the brand’s origins in the Catskills and a previous pop-up store held on the Lower East Side last November.
According to announcements shared in Roman’s newsletter, the upcoming Brooklyn Heights storefront is intended to be “bigger and more ambitious than what we built upstate.” While specific details remain limited, job postings for the new location indicate that the site will feature a coffee program, a small café offering prepared foods, and a retail floor focused on produce. Roman described the intended culinary experience as “seasonal home cooking that’s better than the food you make at home. Nothing fussy or overcomplicated — the best versions of the simplest thing.”
Significance and Strategy
The move to Brooklyn Heights reflects an effort to integrate the brand into a local residential fabric. Despite her prominence on social media platforms, including Instagram, YouTube, and her podcast, Roman has signaled an intention to avoid the pitfalls of internet-driven hype. “Having something everyone comes in for is essential, but should never be gimmicky,” Roman stated. “We’re catering to a neighborhood of real people, not the internet.”
The project has drawn neighborhood attention, with reports suggesting the store may occupy 144 Montague, a space formerly home to Bentley’s Shoes for 43 years. However, Roman has not confirmed the exact address. While the menu remains under development, Roman offered one definitive exclusion for the upcoming café: “We will not have a Caesar salad.”
Looking Ahead
As the fall opening approaches, the success of First Bloom in Brooklyn may depend on its ability to balance Roman’s existing public following with the operational demands of a neighborhood-focused grocery and café. If the establishment follows the trajectory of her past projects, it is likely to attract significant public interest. However, the store’s long-term viability could hinge on whether the business can successfully transition from a pop-up model to a permanent, community-oriented retail operation that avoids the “gimmicky” nature Roman aims to reject.