For Lauren Riley and Merlyn Oliver, Brooklyn is not just the subject of their work. It is home, history and the foundation of their creative partnership.
The duo are the founders of The Brooklyn Mavens, a digital platform that highlights local businesses, neighborhood culture and everyday Brooklynites across the borough. What began as a fashion-focused Instagram account has grown into a storytelling platform centered on community, change and the people who shape Brooklyn.
“We really wanted to highlight Brooklyn from the perspective of Brooklyn natives,” Riley said. “Brooklyn is home. It is where I feel the most comfortable.”
Brooklyn Mavens began in 2016 as Brooklyn Fashion Mavens, a blog created during the early rise of influencer culture. But as the platform expanded, so did its purpose.
“At the time, influencer culture was just emerging,” said Oliver, who was raised in Flatbush. “We were early in that space, doing fashion and food content, but we realized there was a much bigger story to tell.”
After graduating college and spending time living outside New York, both founders returned to a rapidly changing Brooklyn. That return became a turning point.
“When we came back, we noticed Brooklyn was changing,” Oliver said. “There wasn’t really a platform documenting those shifts from a local perspective, so we rebranded to Brooklyn Mavens.”
Rather than centering on well known destinations and trends, the duo highlights everyday residents and small business owners across the borough. “We look for untold stories,” Oliver said. “Even if something is popular, we try to go deeper than what people already know.”
When featuring businesses, the approach is intentionally personal, often focusing on origin stories and longevity in rapidly shifting neighborhoods. “We want to know where you are from, why you started your business, and how long you have been here,” she said. “A lot of these owners have seen their neighborhoods change completely.”
As Brooklyn continues to evolve, the founders say one of the most visible shifts has been the closure of long standing small businesses and increased commercialization in certain neighborhoods. “A major shift is that a lot of smaller businesses are closing,” Oliver said. “There is more commercial development and rising rent, which is pushing out long standing businesses.”
She pointed to areas like Prospect Heights and corridors near Downtown Brooklyn as examples of rapid transformation. “Vanderbilt Avenue used to be very quiet,” she said. “Now it is bustling, and it is completely different from how I experienced it growing up.”
Still, The Brooklyn Mavens is not positioned as a critique of change, but as a record of it. “We are not here to say we hate the changes,” Riley said. “It is more about saying, this is what is happening. Let’s talk about it.”
That perspective is reflected in their “My Brooklyn” series, which invites residents to walk through their neighborhoods and share personal histories tied to place.
Oliver recalled a particularly meaningful interview with a longtime resident of Brighton Beach. “He walked us through his whole neighborhood,” she said. “He showed us what used to be there, what has changed, and what still feels authentic. That experience really shaped how we think about storytelling.”
Looking ahead, Brooklyn Mavens is expanding beyond Instagram with a website, a growing team, and plans for in-person events, as the mission remains rooted in access and awareness. “Brooklyn is not just one neighborhood,” Oliver said. “It is one of the most diverse places, and there is so much more to explore.”
