Whether your dad is the type who always has a fresh fade, loves creating memories with vintage cameras, or just appreciates a good story about work ethic, these local gifts say more than a last-minute tie ever could.
For the dad who raised a hustler
If your dad taught you how to stretch a dollar, keep your head up, and always look sharp, The Hustle Store encapsulates this ethos in its merch. It’s the retail arm of The Hustle Barber Shop, founded by Queens native Carlos “Charly Hustle” Mercado.
For Mercado, what started as packing groceries for spare change and giving free haircuts to friends on the block turned into much more. Today, his shop welcomes all hair types and Mercado even launched a running club to promote wellness among men. “I love making people better,” Mercado says. “We can change a person’s life just by giving them a haircut.”
Gift dad a grooming product from The Hustle’s shop, like their signature beard balm or premium trimmer. You can pair it with a voucher for a cut at the Richmond Hill location, where clients say they’ve walked out with not just a fresh fade but also new confidence and even job offers. And check out the Run Hustle Run Club, which carries its own merch. Read more.
Gift picks:
- The Hustle “H” dad hat ($30) or varying cap styles showcasing Queens pride
- Original HUSTLE Nourishing Beard Oil ($35)
- “No Hustle, No Profit” T-shirt ($30)
Check out the online shop at thehustlebarbershop.com/store
Free shipping on orders over $100
135-22 Hillside Avenue in Queens
For the sentimental dad who still misses film — or never stopped using it
855 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11221
(845) 261-3573
Film photography is alive and well — and Brooklyn Film Camera (BFC) is proof. Started by Kyle Depew with just $25K and a yurt in his backyard, BFC is now an analog haven in Williamsburg. It’s one of only two shops in the world officially authorized to repair Polaroids. So naturally, it’s the go-to spot for dads who still carry a Polaroid or feel nostalgia over actual Kodak moments.
Depew’s love for film started with his dad, who gifted him a camera. Depew used a Polaroid to swap pictures (and phone numbers) at parties. This turned into a flea market stall, which became a two-level brick-and-mortar store with a photo booth, DIY workshops, and a loyal customer base that gathers monthly to celebrate new artists and old-school gear.
“It’s really important to have real-world spaces,” Depew says. “It feels good to be the custodian of a space that is for that.” Read more.
Gift picks:
- Refurbished Polaroid SX-70 ($375+)
- Colorful camera straps ($7.50+) or vintage camera bags ($37+)
- Workshops or Polaroid restoration services
855 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY
brooklynfilmcamera.com
For the dad who also enjoys non-dad jokes
Manhattan’s only Black-owned comedy club is bringing the laughs this Father’s Day weekend with “Who’s Your Daddy?” This Friday-night showcase features headliner Marlon Randolph, comics Walt Miller and Justin Ramos, and host Christine Carolyn (also known as the “comedy cougar”). Nothing like belly laughs and hot wings with the dad in your life. The Father’s Day show is on June 13 at 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance with a $18 food/drink minimum.
Co-founded by comedians Nicky Sunshine and Jamie Roberts in 2021, Comedy in Harlem is a sanctuary for free expression: “I am an upholder of that, whether it be from the stage or in our society at large,” Sunshine says. “And it’s disturbing to me … that we’re seeing those freedoms be diminished.”
From its early days in a second-floor walkup with alley rats to its current ADA-accessible home, the club doesn’t sugar-coat resilience. It honors the historic Sugar Hill’s legacy just blocks from where Malcolm X and Redd Foxx once worked. Comedy in Harlem nurtures new voices with karaoke nights, acting workshops, and resource-sharing for performing artists. Read more
750A St. Nicholas Ave in Manhattan
For the biker dad
Tuned isn’t your average grease-stained, old-school attitude bike repair shop. Co-owners Tijon Randall, Vincent Cabrera, and Joy Liu run a welcoming bike studio in Gowanus that blends technical expertise with hospitality. Expect incense, coffee, and a vibe that invites you and the dad in your life to geek out about all things bikes.
Born out of late-night fix-ups and a side hustle in their living room, Tuned brings high-level service with the heart of a neighborhood hangout. From wheel builds to complex troubleshooting, co-owners Randall and Cabrera treat bike care with the seriousness it deserves. Their shop is studded with goofy dad stuff, like mash-up figurines with Elmo’s face on King Kong’s body and an old Pepsi-Cola fridge from a restaurant around the corner that closed down.
“[Our hope] is to elevate the idea of what a bike shop is,” Randall says. “[To] increase the level of service and expertise, and just keep pushing as far as we can take it.” Read more.
Gift picks:
- Deluxe tune-up — a full-service spa day for Dad’s ride (clean, true, lube, dial-in) — about $150
- Pro bike-fit session helps alleviate knee and back pain (around $250)
- Custom wheel-build gift card lets him spec hubs, hoops, and spokes to taste (packages start near $300)
- Tuned Shop cap or T-shirt ($25–$35)
- Cortado-while-you-wait voucher (redeemable at the café next door)
291 Nevins St., Brooklyn, NY 11217
honeywheel.co@gmail.com
@tuned.by on Instagram
For the dehydrated or sporty dad
SUPLMNT
When Jairus Morris realized brands like Yeti and Hydro Flask weren’t reaching Black and Brown communities, he built his own. SUPLMNT is the first Black-owned insulated water bottle brand, created not just to hydrate but to educate.
The design nods to sneaker culture with its sole-inspired base and shoestring loop. Meanwhile, Morris and his team regularly act on their mission, visiting schools in cities like Camden and Newark. They hand out thousands of bottles and talk with students about hydration, health, and access.
“We want people to understand that hydration is part of wellness,” Morris says. “And wellness should be accessible to everyone.” Read more.
Gift picks:
- SUPLMNT 24-oz or 48-oz bottle with straw lid ($34 -$44)
- “Don’t trust nobody who don’t drink water” T-shirt ($25.50-$28)
@suplmnt on Instagram
Available online at suplmnt.com
@suplmnt on Instagram
