Elite Event at The Rock n’ Shop

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Synopsis: In Hawai’i, I used to always go to these pop-​ups that happened on Third Thursdays of the month. Local vendors would all meet up and there would be partying, music, drinks and food. It has been a while since I reminisced the fun times I had in Hawai’i in this regard, but it certainly happened. What was sweeter was the fact that there was live tattoo artist and a live band compared to just having a DJ «play» a set.
Environment: The place was grungy because it was in a warehouse. Perhaps, the area is supposed to resemble a dive bar/​thrift store experience. Additionally, there was an area for music, which was loud enough to resonate throughout the entire venue. However, the sound system wasn’t as top-​notch as it could have been. Perhaps, the «garage» feel was the point.
Employees: If you have a nice day, then I have a nice day. And if you are NOT having a nice day, then simply fake it! Whether people were having a nice day or not, they were definitely welcoming at each booth. Each piece that was made had a story behind it, whether it be the cool figurines made out of chocolate, or the bougie «used» items. I definitely wish the clothing I saw fit me, but it was for women and not men. :(
Food: I missed out on the burger, but heard it was the
. That made me sad. However, what was amazing and surprisingly delicious was a woman’s fermented food that she had. Being none-​Asian and making Asian food, makes one very suspicious of the taste and quality. The misperception was the fact that she was «making» Asian food. The fact was that she had an art for making fermented food is what made her dishes delicious and beyond this world. Besides this the amazing burritos that were flying out like hot-​cakes within 5 minutes was to-​die-​for.
Drinks: Free beer always makes the «artsy» feel even more artsy. It must be the dizziness that gives you more of the «edge» or inhibition to try things you never do. LOL! In my case, just trying on woman’s pants in front of everyone, even my +1/​date Kevin. He didn’t seem to mine looking at my ass ;).

Finally an event close to me in Bushwick! I’ve been hearing great things about Rock N Shop for months, and I’m so glad Unilocal encouraged me to go check it out.
The vendors were all really helpful and accommodating, especially since they were keeping the market open past their regular hours. I didn’t end up buying any gifts, but I loved checking out the vintage clothes, jewelry, and handcrafted chocolates (in the shapes of Doctor Who, Star Wars, and vulvas no less).
There was a really diverse range of food options in the back as well, which I would definitely come back for. The hit of the night was definitely Lex’s beignet burgers, which were incredible and worth the long wait. Other favorites included the apple and pear pie and the grilled cheese pancakes (how have I never thought of that before?!)
Really glad this place is so close to me, because I’m definitely coming back for some bagels and holiday shopping. Thanks to Peter and all the vendors for the great event!

Thank you Unilocal!Peter D, and The Paper box and all the vendors there. This event was fairly interesting and there was so many things to see.
I got a little lost heading to the place at night, as I wasn’t familiar with the area. When I first walked in, there were so many people and vendors. The Coney Island drafts were great and the bartender was pretty friendly. I was a little overwhelmed but a draft beer quickly relaxed me and got me in the mood.
When we headed to the back, where I spent most of my time, there was live music, and lots of different food vendors. My favorite was the Beignet burgers, despite the long lines. Luckily me and my friends were among the last to get the burgers and they were phenomenal. The kimchi, and the bagels were pretty amazing too. It was a great taste of the area and is now on my radar to go explore

I have been a fan of the Rock n’ Shop since, it opened it’s doors in Bushwick. When I spotted the event on the Elite calendar it was a must. How could I not hit up this neighborhood spot. When I arrived I ordered the Coney Island pint that was available and with a Unilocaly wink of an eye, it was on the house. Sweet! This event was open to the public but that didn’t stop me from checking in and finding all my peeps who made it.
My roommate is also an Elite Unilocaler. We are the tattooed, rock chicks in the mix. It was great that she went under the needle at the event. Ulyss is the regular tattooer from Magic Cobra and always works the event and it was great that he was able to make it for the evening’s event. My roommate’s nickname is Porkchop so how could she not have a tattoo of an adorable pig tattooed on her arm? As she got a tattoo, I got libations for here to handle the pain.
The bands swung by the tattoo station and invited us to the rock session in the other room. That’s one of the best things of the Rock n’ Shop, you get to Rock while you Shop! Maybe it should throw in the Drink and Eat somewhere in the name… nah. But there is a full bar and the food vendors are all piled in the back patio. I couldn’t figure out the Unilocal food and the regular food. I did hear about the free bagels in back. It was 8pm and free bagels sounded a little better than the huge line for half a burrito that might or might not have meat.
As I stood in the bagel corner, I felt slightly «Marla Singer» like (Fight Club reference). The feeling was «are you here for the Unilocalers Anonymous»…“Yeah…me too… SLIDE”. After scraping the leftover veggie cream cheese. I splurged and bought a fried, delicious arepa. It hit the spot for sure and got me out of my dark Singer mode.
When I found my roomie, she had a «new» leather jacket and was getting her palm read. Palm reading makes me nervous. I want to believe I have free will or that my future can change at all times. But it’s cool that there were activities that were not drinking. The vendors ranged from Star Wars chocolates to funky manicures, vintage clothing, records and bling bling.

This was a great event, it was nice to walk and check out the merchandise while hanging out with the other Unilocalers. Oddly I was most intrigued by the Tarot Card reader sitting near the entrance but I didn’t get a chance to get a reading.
I really enjoyed talking to Lex Taylor while on line for the Beignet Burgers. I loved the informercial sign «As Seen On TV!» and Lex told us about the episode of The Underdog. Pretty clever. The Beignet Burger was outrageous. Best two bite I’ve had in a long time, I might have to hunt Lex down to try it again. It was packed with flavor and very balanced at the same time.
The line was so long by the time we were done the event was winding down a bit.
The live band and music was a great addition.
Thanks Peter D. and the vendors for a great event!

Walking through E. Williamsburg/​Bushwick past a school through a deserted street in the dark to get to the Paper Box added to my experience at The Rock n’ Shop. I felt this place captured the spirit of Brooklyn. What a great concept! I am sick of cookie-​cutter vendors and seeing the same thing over and over again. From tattoos to unique art and fashion, this place had it all. It was nice chatting with some of the artists. It was great seeing their passion for what they do. A great place to shop for unique gifts.
The Coney Island brew was great and I loved the bagels and jalapeño cream cheese from Bagelsmith. I had a yummy steak burrito from Santo Burrito and actually was semi full after that. I missed out on the burger cause I didn’t realize they were free and by the time I realized, the line was way too long.
Dream Team was cool to listen to. My +1 really appreciated all their tempo changes. Bushwick Hotel, you rock!
This was a great event. The only thing I would change is the organization of the food. I had no idea what was available to sample since it was hard to move around in the food area. Thankful to the organizers of this event and for introducing me to a place I wouldn’t have found on my own. I have been telling all my friends to check it out.

It was a nice event, but I would have preferred to bring a friend since it does give that kind chill friend atmosphere.
I enjoyed getting my nails done by the tattoo artist. It was a really nice manicure.
It was also nice to see a variety of food vendors, live bands and artisan chocolates. Pretty cool atmosphere of you want to try a variety of things in one market.

Wow! Thank you Peter D, for introducing me to an entirely new concept, Rock n’ Shop. I thought it was ingenious to have music, vendors, and food all under one roof — The Paper Box.
My eyes were captivated by the unique designs of Eleanor of SwaggerThat who sold brass business card holders with animals on top of them in addition to festive fanny packs. With just one month until my 30^th birthday, I thought it was only fitting to treat myself with a dragonfly business card holder. So excited to show it off.
Turning old t-​shirts into artwork was definitely a new concept that I had never heard of, but was intrigued enough to wonder about the clothing just lying around in the corner of my closet waiting for a new purpose.
From the rock band to the tattoo artist, I was blown away by the various activities occurring simultaneously yet harmoniously.
The highlight of my evening was of course the food. Lex Taylor and his infamous fried beignet burger was just amazing. I can’t recall eating a burger that was so flavorful and filling. The Bagelsmith had this sundried tomatoes spread that I just redefined the meaning of breakfast. I have never had a burrito until I met Santo Burrito, and I was very impressed. It is very rare that I would tweet about a dining experience, and yet I did on this very night.
As always, Unilocal Brooklyn and Peter D. did not disappoint. I never knew all of these hidden gems were right here in Williamsburg. The friendliness and generosity of these small business owners and food connoisseurs as well as the cool items and mouth-​watering food on sale makes the trip worthwhile.
I love these adventures across Brooklyn and look forward to the next one.

Fun event out in the fringes of E. Williamsburg /​Bushwick, which I attended as a guest.
Rock N’ Shop is every bit the weekend shopping venue you’d expect, with the added bonus of a full bar, sound stage (for a live band), and a backyard area that’s heated during the fall/​winter. Unilocal Elites, mostly Brooklynites converged on this industrial area to get a glimpse of this recently opened venue.
I had walked over from nearby Arrogant Swine but getting there via subway for the uninitiated may have been daunting for some. (Perhaps most people drove?) Coney Island Brewing’s offering was on-​tap gratis. A complement of pilsner, lager, IPA round out the beer (go visit their Brewery!)… If that wasn’t your shtick, some limited well drinks were also available.
Like many of the weekend craft markets I’ve visited, they’ve got a lot of unique items you need to keep an eye out for, that will work for your holiday shopping spree. Also available were free tattoos, and food to fuel your spending binge.
Some light bites available from the vendors as a preview included the remarkable beignet burger from Lex Taylor (which had quite a big following), burritos, pancakes, bagels w/​cream cheese, and pasta alla vodka.
This event was well-​timed and positioned for the holiday push. Make this your shopping stop if you find yourself in nearby Greenpoint or Williamsburg. A Big Thanks to Peter D., The Paper Box, and Coney Island Brewing Co. for getting this together!

This was a fun event with cool, vintage-​like shop vendors, mostly jewelry, art/​photographs, brilliant and colorful leggings, and other knick-​knacks, as well as a tarot card reader, place to get a tattoo, nail art station etc.
In the back room, which had a nice homey backyard feel to it, there were food vendors and at first we were not sure which ones were giving out samples for Unilocalers because there were prices on most of the food vendors. So that was quite confusing and it got really crowded, but thankfully my friends and I figured it out as we went along and got into the lines for the free samples early on when it wasn’t quite as crowded.
First, I tried some bagels with different types of cream cheese. I really enjoyed the scallion bacon cream cheese — nice robust bacon and scallion flavor and it worked perfectly with the everything bagel. I also had some cinnamon raisin bagel with plain cream cheese. I didn’t like that quite as much. The bagel and cream cheese weren’t that flavorful.
Next, I got to try the beignet burger made by Lex Taylor. This was amazing… The beignets were slightly sweet, wonderfully doughy and the meat, coupled with the cheese, homemade pickled onions, pickles and some tasty sauces and spices, made for a delightful array of flavors. The meat was well seasoned, tender, wonderfully spiced.
After that, I sampled the chicken burrito from Santa Burrito, which was quite good. It came with rice, beans and was a hefty serving. I really liked the taste of the well seasoned chicken with the fluffy rice. I also wanted to try the steak burrito, but he wasn’t making that at the time. Oh well.
Also got to try thin pancakes with maple syrup, which was wonderfully warm and had a lovely sweetness to it. There were also samples of cinnamon buns, which I thought were a bit dry and didn’t have a ton of cinnamon flavor. I wanted to try the apple-​pear pie, but didn’t get a chance to.
All in all, a lovely event and had a great time with Unilocalers! Thank you to Peter for organizing; to the venue for hosting and to shop/​food vendors for being so welcoming!

Really cool venue. I loved the divey vibe. The music was great — sound could have been cleaner — but it’s always nice to see people doing original tunes in a non-​corporate space. There were some really interesting vendors. Scored a sweet leather jacket and some holiday gifts. Free beer is always a plus. Can’t comment on the food because we stopped by the Topaz first and filled up on charcuterie and bao but it smelled great. I’ll have to go back to try the food because the other reviews are making my mouth water. Thanks Peter D for setting up this event.

I got a tattoo at a Unilocal event while drinking free beer, a tarot card reader said I am going to meet the man of my dreams next week and I now have a grounding agate bracelet and a cosmic connection with a lovely artisan named Lavender.
‘Nuff said.

It’s not hard to please a gal who loves to shop vintage clothes and handmade jewelry. Although I did more browsing than buying it was great to see the things they had available:) My husband and I loved the graffiti inspired artwork that surrounded the venue. After grabbing some Coney Island Pilsner brews we browsed around the tables. I loved the thrift selections from the vintage stands. As a DJ, my husband’s favorite was the vinyl Record collection.
We stepped to the backyard area that was set up with Christmas lights in the middle and there were booths and metal round tables and chairs. It was great to have seating and made me feel like I was in someone’s backyard. I tried a delicious Bagel Smith pumpernickel and garlic bagel with sundried tomato, bacon and scallion, and jalapeño cheddar cream cheese all were delicious but I must admit the least expected sundried tomato was my favorite! I can’t wait to go into the shop, the server (I feel awful I didn’t get her name) told me about some sandwiches that are made with greens and eggs and all kinds of yummy stuff at the shop!
The most sought out food table was the burger table with Lex who won Esquire magazine’s best burger, making his signature pear jam burgers on beignets. Unfortunately, by the time we made the line there were no more burger patties!!! Luckily, I’m not a fan of meat anyways and Lex fried up some beignets and let me have them with the homemade pickled onions and pickles and his chili spice sprinkled on it that are part of what makes his burgers so tasty!!!
Awesome food, awesome music, awesome drinks, awesome people, awesome event:)

It was the wise philosopher Madonna who once said, «life is a mystery». Like life, this Unilocal event was a bit of a mystery. Came here not knowing what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by all the vendors selling Brooklyn-​made items, stands outside with all types of food, and live music. The real mystery of this event was trying to figure out the eating situation. Turns out most stands were giving out generous samples of their food (despite keeping up their earlier signage with price tags). Once everyone figured it out, the lines started up. Which brings me to my next Madonna quote…
She also said, «everyone must stand alone.» However, because we had +1’s for this event, that simply wasn’t true. Whether we were getting free pours of Coney Island beer (yum), or having burrito samples from Santo Burrito (the steak was delicious), or waiting in line for Beignet burgers from Lex Taylor’s Burger Shop (and settling for a beignet slaw sandwich when they ran out of meat and apologized profusely… still good!).
The event didn’t last into the midnight hour, but we definitely appreciated all the vendors sticking around until 9pm, answering our questions about their products.
There were also chocolate vaginas for sale. I’m not 100% certain how that relates to Madonna, but I’m sure it does.
Thanks to Pete for organizing, Coney Island for the booze, and to all the vendors who made it feel like home!

Ambiance and service.
As soon as you walk in you hear music playing and are greeted by a funky scene. The bar is fully stocked and Coney Island beer was complementary. Bartenders were super friendly. Vendors are set up all around selling their goodies. Everyone was extremely friendly. They had a room with a punk rock band and although not my choice of music, they were good.
Food: Some of the food like Lex Taylor burgers, bagels, and pasta were complimentary. The Lex Taylor burger was a pure orgasm. Others dishes were for sale like Colombian arepas (2 for $ 5) and apple pie ($ 3 a slice). Everything was delish.
Vendors: Included chocolates infused with lavender and other exotic flavors. They had free tasting which I loved. Others included jewelry, art, and clothes. I ended up getting a ring which I love. My friend bought a couple of rings and some chocolate to support Planned Parenthood.
Overall this was a very unique and cool event.
Thanks Peter!

I remember my first time to Rock n’ Shop @ The Paper Box like it was yesterday. Oh yeah, that’s when it was. I assure you though it feels like it was something that was yesterday, but wasn’t yesterday. Meaning it was rememberable and I was on an hour of sleep.
PS, don’t agree to work at 7 on the weekends if you go to bed at 5.
Despite the lack of sleep I voyaged out to Bushwick (Williamsburg my ass) for the lovely event at Rock n’ Shop, and I’m glad I did. Inside it was warm, just like the friendly staff, shop owners, and chefs in the back. It made for a fun evening.
At the bar we were greeted with free Coney Island brews. I stuck with the pilsner for most of the night. The service was fast, and came with a smile.
While I didn’t get anything, there were several items which caught my eyes. I was highly tempted to purchase the Adult Cat Finder t shirt. Who can resist an old school Wu-​Tang record? And I was curious to get my palm read.
In the back there were lots of treats to be had. I don’t know about you but I was not getting on a half hour line for that slider. I don’t care, I’m not waiting that long. The bagels were delicious, I highly recommend them. Their store is up on Bedford. Oh how I love egg everythings. The real stars were the dude’s from Santo Burrito. Just step right up and acquire a mystery burrito. I was praying for that steak that I heard about, but a spicy chicken hit the spot. I even got some pie! They were the real MVPs.
I had to get home, I was exhausted. Left around the 8:30 mark. Didn’t get to try that buffet, but I was already more than content. Got home and didn’t take too long to pass out.
Thank you to everyone working at Rock n’ Shop that night. I’ll be sure to venture out there again to get my bazaar fix in during the winter. Big thanks to Peter D for a great Sunday night event, even though his attendance doomed the Giants.

I came to Rock n’ Shop before outside of the Elite event and promised I’ll go back to purchase a necklace from one of the vendors.
ANYWAY…glad that my next time back was due to a cool Elite event. This was definitely a different type of atmosphere compared to the other Elite events. A lot was going on. You had the bar, the food, the live music, a little manicure station, tattoo artist, vendors selling everything from jewelry to clothes and it goes on…
I was able to try the burrito which was actually good and also the sliders which were awesome. That aioli did its job and that fried beignet was so perfectly made. Kind of reminded me of a better version of festival (for my carribbean folks). I purchased a necklace from the vendor that grabbed my interest from my last visit. I caught up on a few «Coney Island» brews. I also got a taste of the pancakes that were being flipped in the food section. Had I been a tad more tipsy I probably wouldn’t have realized that they weren’t cooked all the way, but yea I had to take that L.
Always a good vibe. Saw A LOT of unfamiliar faces and just a tiny bit familiar ones. Thanks again Peter as always you are doing the damn thang! Keep rolling these events on out :-)

I am super happy i got to take my Best Friend to this Unilocal Event. He is not a member of our beautiful club and at this event he realized he was missing out. Not going to lie the area seemed a little Nightmares Movie. I told Francky if Micheal Meyers comes out I’m running IDK about you. Once we came in all the Unilocal Elites were already on deck, they had there drinks and was ready to Mingle and See all the kool merchandise in-​store.
We were told the Coney Island beer was free but Francky said it was horrible. I got a Vodka Gimlet, which was okay and only Cost $ 9. We walked around to looked at the Apparel and Accessories. One of the Awesome Jewelry stations had Fake bombs and Bullets, i Seen this one bracelet i was meant to have and it only cost $ 20. Also there was a girl doing Nail designed for $ 20 with one Color Paint and Two finger designs. I got her business card and hopefully i can get an appointment after Thanksgiving.
Lets talk about food, So the first thing we tried was the Santo Burrito… Super Delicious… If he worked around my job or my home he would have my business every day. We had a steak burrito, little bit of Spicy kick to it and enough sour cream to blend. Steak was cooked amazing and the owner was a great guy, Very Kool dude. But the Prize winner of the Night was Lex Burger Shop and his Amazingly Delicious Super Fantastic Beignet Burger… OMG was so GOOD!.. the lines for his burger was so long i was going to give up and just get more burritos but i was determine to see what all the hassle was about. Lex seemed like a down to earth, very humble and chill dude. He took his time to make the last 8 burgers for his last 8 customers and even when he ran out of secret indigence the Pear Jelly he stay kool. I would take a special date to his shop any day!!.
Over all i had so much fun. From the Live Music, The Jewelry, the Drinks and the Food i enjoyed this event. I am Very Happy i got to take my Best Friend Francky and introduce him to all my Unilocal fam… Thanks to Peter D. for giving us once again a Kool event!

What a rad way to spend a Sunday. Great tunes (mad props to The Bushwick Hotel) free-​flowing Coney Island brews, and a treasure trove of bites to behold in the back room. And to top it all off, found some delightfully eccentric X-​mas gifts for the fam. Thanks to everyone for putting on a great night!

Nothing like shopping music and food to finish a Sunday off right!
I enjoyed the beignet burger bites and some kimchee although not made by Koreans usually makes me suspicious but it was good!
I bought some chocolate Vulvas to support planned parenthood and to bring to work.
Will be back again for some jewelry goodies… Lots of artists with all kinds of goodies. They also have interesting t shirt art (print tees I canvas) and vintage stuff.