Gluten-free and sugar-free specialty bakery Monshe marks first business to operate in the Yard’s rotating storefront space showcasing emerging local entrepreneurs
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (February 27, 2026) – The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) announced today the launch of its Yard Opportunity Shop retail incubator program, designed to provide small, minority- and woman-owned businesses (MWBEs) with access to retail space, infrastructure and support to help expand awareness of their offerings.
Located in Building 92 of the Brooklyn Navy Yard as a pop-up storefront, the Yard Opportunity Shop program gives local minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to promote their products, test new concepts and directly engage with the Brooklyn community. During each three-month rotation, participating businesses will offer exclusive products, with select in-store events open to Brooklyn Navy Yard tenants and the broader community. The build out of the Yard Opportunity Shop was made possible by $300,000 in capital funding from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
“Brooklyn wouldn’t be Brooklyn without small businesses and the owners who show up every day for their communities. These entrepreneurs deserve space, support, and the opportunity to thrive,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “The Yard Opportunity Shop creates this supportive infrastructure for small businesses that represent the identities and backgrounds of this borough. I’m proud that our investment is helping open doors, and I’m excited to see Monshe kick things off.”
“With the Yard Opportunity Shop, the Brooklyn Navy Yard is continuing to deliver on its economic opportunity mission,” said BNYDC Board Chair Hank Gutman. “This is more than a space; it is an investment in improving equitable access. By lowering the barriers to brick-and-mortar retail, we are giving diverse entrepreneurs the runway they need to innovate, grow, and thrive. Our commitment to community means meeting business owners where they are, and investing in their success before the lease is ever signed.”
“Ensuring that women-and-minority-owned businesses have the resources they need to thrive remains one of our top priorities,” said Lindsay Greene, President and CEO of the BNYDC. “We often say the Navy Yard is a place where innovation meets opportunity, and the Yard Opportunity Shop is a perfect physical representation of that. Through this program, we’re giving entrepreneurs a path to gain exposure and try new things without dealing with the leasing hurdles that stall so many small business owners. We’re excited to introduce the Brooklyn community to these emerging entrepreneurs, who each bring a new layer of creativity and innovation to our ecosystem at the Yard.”
The first business to operate in the space is Monshe, a health-focused bakery founded by Bronx native Melissa Groneveldt. Originally started as a personal effort to enjoy treats during her own health journey, Groneveldt has sold more than 70,000 cookies since the company’s inception in March 2020.
Monshe cookies are sugar-free, gluten-free and keto-friendly, and come in a variety of flavors, including the best-selling coffee cake, chocolate fudge, and Navy Yard-exclusive blueberry lemon. In January, Groneveldt rebranded the bakery from Yummy Tummy4Life to Monshe, in honor of her late mother, who instilled a love of baking, family and wellness that continues to shape the business.
“Being named the inaugural business for the Yard Opportunity Shop is deeply meaningful. This moment represents more than a storefront — it’s about visibility, access, and what can happen when small businesses are truly supported.” said Groneveldt. “I’m proud to open this space in Brooklyn and to lead in a way that shows what’s possible for entrepreneurs who are building with purpose, heart, and resilience.”
The YOS incubator program is the latest initiative at the Yard to strengthen its support ecosystem for local small businesses, particularly women-and-minority-owned enterprises, while driving inclusive economic growth across all five boroughs. Since its 2018 launch, the Yard’s annual Wallabout Wonderland Holiday Market has become one of the city’s largest holiday markets, yielding more than $150,000 in direct sales to local businesses each year. In 2025, the Yard built off that success to launch the Microbusiness Support Program, which provides more than 100 hours of professional support and development to 20 early-stage MBEs who have participated in the Holiday Market. Local MBEs who have completed the Microbusiness Support Program are eligible to apply for the YOS pop-up space, as are Yard tenants who have leases that extend at least one additional year. “Shop local” enthusiasts will have the opportunity to purchase directly from a range of entrepreneurs selling everything from home goods to fashion to art.
Monshe officially opens February 27 and will be featured in Building 92 through May 23. The bakery will be open to the public during the following hours:
- Tuesday – Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Friday – Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
###
About Monshe
Monshe is a Bronx-born CPG brand on a mission to redefine healthy indulgence with cookies that look, taste, and feel like a treat — minus the sugar, gluten, and guilt. The menu features crave-worthy flavors like Chocolate Chip, Lemon, Coffee Cake, Chocolate Fudge, and seasonal sensations like Pumpkin Spice — all made with almond flour, coconut flour, and monk fruit sweetener for pure, wholesome satisfaction. Monshe serves people who want more from their snacks: those embracing keto or gluten-free lives, busy parents seeking cleaner treats, health enthusiasts, and anyone with a sweet tooth who refuses to compromise on taste or quality.
About the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation
Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) is a not-for-profit corporation that serves as the real estate developer and property manager of the Yard on behalf of its owner, the City of New York. BNYDC’s mission is to fuel New York City’s economic vitality by creating and preserving quality jobs, growing the City’s modern industrial sector and its businesses, and connecting the local community with the economic opportunity and resources of the Yard. BNYDC helps connect local talent to quality jobs via the Albert C. Wiltshire Employment Center and the Brooklyn STEAM Center high school located on the campus. BNYDC’s vision is a vibrant and dense, modern manufacturing community where businesses are provided the stability they need to invest, grow, and thrive and where diverse candidates can attain quality jobs. Brooklynnavyyard.org