Walking through the streets of Palo Alto, one might come across a variety of storefronts, ranging anywhere from the Apple Store to a family-owned cafe. Palo Alto is home to some of the largest tech companies in the world, a fact that tends to dominate people’s perceptions of Silicon Valley. But, while companies like those have played a considerable role in the city’s infrastructure, small businesses in the area are often overlooked. These businesses, sometimes family-owned, women-owned or independently run, are what make Palo Alto so unique and filled with cultural value.
Located in Town and Country, Hatched is a brunch-based cafe known for its egg-forward sandwich selection and creative drink menu. Craighton Poon, co-owner of Hatched, was working in the corporate world when he decided to launch a business.
“I spent 10 years doing engineering, and then I got tired,” Poon said. “I wanted to [start] my own company, so my brothers and I decided to do more restaurants, which is what we grew up doing.”
The Poon brothers also own Roost and Roast, another business in Town and Country, as well as Kurated Kitchens in Sunnyvale. The brothers’ childhood was spent balancing school and working at their parents’ restaurant, which they opened after their emigration from Cambodia and Hong Kong.
After graduating from college, Poon and his brothers decided to return to the restaurant industry and have been building their family’s Asian heritage into their establishments ever since. By offering tried-and-true food and drinks to customers, running Hatched has proven very rewarding for Poon.
“We’re a small business, so you’re getting home-cooked meals and our own recipes,” Poon said. “Hopefully [there’s] a little bit more charm and character compared to some of the bigger chains.”
Contrary to popular belief, the size of small businesses enables them to turn out higher-value products due to their proximity to the production process.
“We definitely have more quality control because it’s a smaller operation for us, so we can maintain and monitor our food and sauces much more closely,” Poon said.
The high standard of the food at Hatched has spoken for itself, with news spreading of the recently opened restaurant without taking much out of the team’s pockets.
“Honestly, we haven’t done too much advertising,” Poon said. “It’s been a lot of word of mouth, and then we were fortunate enough to get picked up by some local articles.”
Marigold Row is also a small business located in Town and Country. Owned and founded by Anita Mehta, their mission is to bring curated, fine textiles hand-crafted in India straight to shoppers in the form of clothes and home furnishings. Anandi Raja, an employee at Marigold Row, was drawn to work there because of the creative vision.
“I’m extremely interested in Indian art, and art is our whole work [at Marigold Row], so I think this place is perfect for me,” Raja said.
When owner and founder Anita Mehta started Marigold Row, she had a vision to bring a standard of traditional clothing typically found overseas to Palo Alto.
“She [Mehta] is an Indian textile enthusiast, and she’s been very successful in the wholesale business doing beautiful scarves and jewelry,” Raja said. “That’s extended to apparel. It’s her passion that has sustained this for two and a half years now.”
Customers are often amazed by the quality of Marigold Row’s products, given their relative affordability with most items falling between sixty and a hundred dollars.
“People are very surprised that we have this range of wools, cottons, silks and linens,” Raja said. “They’re surprised by the range we have at the price points and styles that we offer.”
However, Raja has noticed that sometimes people don’t know how to care properly for their products. The clothes require more attention than a typical garment, but the benefits they offer make the additional effort appealing to consumers.
“Because people appreciate how it feels on your natural skin, and because it’s good for your skin, they’re willing to put in the work,” Raja said.
All in all, Marigold Row is a high-quality small business that hopes to leave an impact on its customers through its approach to fiber arts.
“We showcase sustainable craftsmanship in our artisanal products,” Raja said.
Both Marigold Row and Hatched have acquired a consumer base that appreciates their unique products for the effort poured into them. Paly sophomore Alessia Kalember believes that small businesses are a welcome addition to Silicon Valley’s competitive market.
“Something that makes me want to shop at small businesses is that it can be really beneficial for the community,” Kalember said. “It’s a lot better than shopping at big or local chains because people at small businesses can benefit a lot more.”
Kalember believes smaller establishments can also affect the Paly student body, as many are motivated to shop at them through their features in Paly journalism.
“I think [small businesses] add a lot to the Paly community, especially when we have events, like art in unusual places and other different sellers that get brought up in all the Paly publications,” Kalember said.
Many Paly students find it rewarding to purchase from smaller companies, and the local economy also benefits from their engagement. Overall, the thoughtfulness and attention to detail that many smaller businesses are trademarked for add value to the local consumer market.
“It’s a lot easier to just go to a large, mainstream business and get something that everyone else has, or something that’s popular,” Kalember said. “But small businesses, a lot of the time, a lot more work and thought get put into the things that are being sold, and I think that’s really special.”
