East Village treasure Katinka crowdfunding to remain in business and support its work in India

Katinka, one of the most unique shops in the East Village, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help the boutique pay its back rent during the lockdown ... and continue to support the Lasksh Foundation, an NGO in Mangar Village, Haryana, India, that co-owner Jane Williams works with.

Williams, and her longtime partner Billy Lyles, opened their closet-sized shop in 1979 at 303 E. Ninth St. just east of Second Avenue... offering hand-made pieces — including shirts, vests, quilts and rugs — all made and imported from India. 

Here's part of the GoFundMe appeal from Williams: 

For the last 14 years, I have been working on a self-empowerment project teaching and producing products to sell in my store, and in craft markets in India. I travel to India twice a year, paying my own plane fare and volunteering my design services and supplies to educate about 40 to 50 women in the village of Mangar, New Delhi, India. 

The profits from this project also help educate about 1,000 Indian children in our tutoring centers in the area. 

Since the COVID crisis we have been hard hit, as many others. I spent five months working there on lockdown in 2020. 

We need funds to keep our store and project going. 

You can find the campaign here. 

And you can watch this 2021 video about the shop and the couple by photographer-filmmaker Josh Charow ...

   

Image via @katinka_ny

'We're still here' — charming video highlights the longtime relationship of Billy and Jane at Katinka

LimeLight is a new documentary series created by East Village-based photographer-filmmaker Josh Charow.

His first local pick is a classic: Katinka, the unique, closet-sized shop that opened in 1979 at 303 E. Ninth St. just east of Second Avenue. 

In the 4-plus minute video, proprietors Billy Lyles and Jane Williams discuss keeping their shop — full of handmade items from India — and their relationship going strong after all these years. (They've been together as a couple for 48 years.). 

Check it out below...

 

The spiritual harmony of Katinka on East 9th Street

[Photo from May by James and Karla Murray Photography]

Nice feature in the Times about jazz musician Billy Lyles and his longtime companion, designer Jane Williams, and the shop they have run together since 1979 — Katinka.

As the East Village’s grit and rebel spirit have steadily given way to upscale businesses, one of the mom-and-pop places that have hung on since the 1970s is Katinka.

Mr. Lyles and Ms. Williams, who live in a railroad apartment upstairs, have kept prices low, even as their rent has risen. The shop’s spiritual harmony, they claim, has kept them solvent.

“This store is like a magnet — they all want to come in and get some energy, and Billy is the gatekeeper,” said Ms. Williams, who designs the clothing and travels to India to have it made by hand. “I take care of the colors and he takes care of the music.”

The shop, located at 303 E. Ninth St. just east of Second Avenue, sells Indian clothing, shoes and accessories … they usually open around 4 … with limited hours Tuesday through Saturday.

Read the whole article here. Find more of James and Karla Murray's storefront shots here.